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The provisional head company is responsible for meeting the obligations on and from the day specified in the choice made under section 719-50 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) to consolidate the MEC (multiple entry consolidated) group. Therefore, the provisional head company will be required to provide a distribution statement under section 202-75 of the ITAA 1997 in relation to each frankable distribution made by an eligible tier-1 (ET-1) company in the group on or after the day specified in the choice.

Subsection 719-435(1) of the ITAA 1997 provides that where an ET-1 company member of a MEC group, other than the provisional head company, makes a frankable distribution to its members, Part 3-6 of the ITAA 1997 applies as if the provisional head company of the MEC group had made the distribution to one of its members.

That is, subsection 719-435(1) of the ITAA 1997: • treats the recipients of the frankable distribution (that is, the members of the ET-1 company that actually made the distribution) as if they were members of the provisional head company; and • ensures that the imputation provisions operate as if the provisional head company had made the distribution to them.

If two or more ET-1 companies of a top company make a choice to consolidate a potential MEC group under section 719-50 of the ITAA 1997 that choice starts to have effect on the day specified in the choice: section 719-55 of the ITAA 1997. Accordingly, the MEC group will come into existence on that day: subsection 719-5(1) of the ITAA 1997.

Consequently, from the day specified in the choice, subsection 719-435(1) of the ITAA 1997 will treat any frankable distribution made by an ET-1 company, other than the provisional head company, as having been made by the provisional head company. Therefore, from that day, the provisional head company of the MEC group will be responsible for imputation obligations arising in relation to frankable distributions made by the ET-1 company members of the group.

A Co, B Co and C Co, each of whom are Australian resident companies, are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Top Co.

A Co, B Co and C Co are all members of a potential MEC group. A Co, B Co and C Co, being the eligible tier-1 companies of that group, jointly choose to form a MEC group. A Co is nominated as the provisional head company.

If either B Co or C Co make a frankable distribution, subsection 719-435(1) of the ITAA 1997 would apply so that the imputation provisions will operate as if A Co, the provisional head company, had made the frankable distributions to the members of B Co and C Co as if they were members of A Co.

Whilst A Co remains the provisional head company of the MEC group it will be required to provide distribution statements in relation to any frankable distributions made by B Co or C Co.

When the final Determination is issued, it is proposed to apply both before and after its date of issue. However, the Determination will not apply to taxpayers to the extent that it conflicts with the terms of settlement of a dispute agreed to before the date of issue of the Determination (see paragraphs 21 and 22 of Taxation Ruling TR 92/20).

We invite you to comment on this draft Taxation Determination. Please forward your comments to the contact officer by the due date. Due date: 11 November 2005 Contact officer details have been removed following publication of the final ruling.