The Taxation (Unpaid Company Tax) Assessment Act 1982 went further, allowing for the recovery of tax avoided under bottom of the harbour tax schemes between 1 January 1972 and 4 December 1980. The retrospectivity in this act was even more controversial than making the avoidance a crime.
Treasurer John Howard said the normal reluctance against retrospectivity was "tempered by the competing consideration of overall perceptions as to the equity and fairness of our taxation system and the distribution of the tax burden." (House, 23 September 1982). Senator Don Chipp thought the purpose noble but was strongly against retrospectivity, saying "I do not trust politicians to legislate retrospectively. One of the few protections that the ordinary citizen has is that he knows the law." (Senate, 19 November 1982).
Read more about this topic: Bottom Of The Harbour Tax Avoidance
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