High Court rules Uber must pay $81m payroll tax to NSW
The High Court of Australia ruled on Wednesday that Uber must pay $81 million in payroll tax to the New South Wales tax office for the years 2015 to 2020.
Court dismisses company appeal
Six of seven justices agreed to dismiss Uber's full appeal against the tax assessment. The majority found that the rideshare company is liable for unpaid taxes because its drivers are considered employees under state law.
Drivers classified as staff
The judgment declared that fares received by drivers count as wages for payroll tax purposes. Justices noted that Uber controls the money before it reaches drivers, allowing the company to deduct fees or cancel fares entirely.
Legal avenues now closed
Uber had previously won a challenge in the NSW Supreme Court but lost that decision on appeal last year. The High Court ruling ends the company's current legal options regarding this specific tax bill.
All 2 outlets report consistently
No differences in figures, names or dates across these reports.
- ABC News Australia
- The Guardian
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2 independent outlets. Headlines as published. Links open the original report.