Income tax: are joining fees or annual fees paid for a 'consumer loyalty program' an allowable deduction?

No, except when paid by an employer as a cost of employing a person or where they form part of a business activity, as there would otherwise be no nexus between the expenditure and the derivation of assessable income.

A 'consumer loyalty program' is defined in Taxation Ruling TR 1999/6 'Income tax and fringe benefits tax: flight rewards received under frequent flyer and other similar consumer loyalty programs'.