1. food and drink
2. beverages
3. alcoholic beverages
4. wine

Instructions for businesses with a WET obligation
Wine equalisation tax –
how to complete your
activity statement
Other activity statement
instructions are available for
pay as you go instalments,
pay as you go withholding,
goods and services tax, fringe
benefits tax and luxury car tax.
Visit www.ato.gov.au or
phone 13 28 66 for more
information.
NAT 7390-05.2012
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU
We are committed to providing you with accurate, consistent
and clear information to help you understand your rights and
entitlements and meet your obligations.
If you follow our information in this publication and it turns out
to be incorrect, or it is misleading and you make a mistake as
a result, we must still apply the law correctly. If that means you
owe us money, we must ask you to pay it but we will not charge
you a penalty. Also, if you acted reasonably and in good faith we
will not charge you interest.
If you make an honest mistake in trying to follow our information
in this publication and you owe us money as a result, we will
not charge you a penalty. However, we will ask you to pay
the money, and we may also charge you interest. If correcting
the mistake means we owe you money, we will pay it to you.
We will also pay you any interest you are entitled to.
If you feel that this publication does not fully cover your
circumstances, or you are unsure how it applies to you,
you can seek further assistance from us.
We regularly revise our publications to take account of any
changes to the law, so make sure that you have the latest
information. If you are unsure, you can check for more recent
information on our website at www.ato.gov.au or contact us.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about wine equalisation tax (WET):
n visit our website at www.ato.gov.au/WET
n phone us on 1300 137 290
n fax us on 1300 130 916
n email us at wettechadvice@ato.gov.au
For more information on completing your activity statement:
n visit our website at www.ato.gov.au
n phone us on 13 28 66.
If you do not speak English well and need help from us,
phone the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50.
If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment,
phone us through the National Relay Service (NRS) on the
numbers listed below:
n TTY users, phone 13 36 77 and ask for the
ATO number you need
n Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) users, phone
1300 555 727 and ask for the ATO number you need
n internet relay users, connect to the NRS on
www.relayservice.com.au and ask for the
ATO number you need.
This publication was current at May 2012.
© AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE FOR THE
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2012
You are free to copy, adapt, modify, transmit and distribute this material as
you wish (but not in any way that suggests the ATO or the Commonwealth
endorses you or any of your services or products).
PUBLISHED BY
Australian Taxation Office
Canberra
May 2012
JS 23699
INTRODUCTION
Wine equalisation tax (WET) is a value-based tax which
generally applies on the last wholesale sale of wine, usually
between the wholesaler and the retailer. If you make wine or
import wine for consumption in Australia, or if you sell it
wholesale, you normally have to pay WET.
WET applies at 29% of the value of the wine at the last
wholesale sale, before adding goods and services tax (GST).
For the purposes of WET, wine includes:
n grape wine, including sparkling wine and fortified wine
n grape wine products such as marsala and vermouth
n other fruit and vegetable wines, including fortified fruit and
vegetable wines
n cider and perry
n mead and sake.
Self-assessment for indirect taxes commenced on
1 July 2012. When you lodge an activity statement for tax
periods that commence on or after that date, you will still
need to include the amounts of indirect tax payable and any
credits that make up your net amount. The Commissioner
is taken to have made an assessment based on that net
amount on the day you lodge the activity statement. Your
activity statement is treated as being a notice of assessment
signed by the Commissioner and issued on the day it is
given to us.
For more information about self-assessment, visit our
website at www.ato.gov.au/GST – ‘More’ – then select
‘Rulings and law’ – then select ‘Introduction of selfassessment for indirect tax laws-an overview’.
If you report and pay GST using a pre-printed instalment
amount (option 3 on the activity statement), don’t complete
the WET section of your activity statement because we have
included your WET in this amount. You will still need to report
WET payable (1C) and WET refundable (1D) when lodging
your Annual GST return. This is due at the same time as your
income tax return.
If you report and pay GST annually, you don’t have
to report WET on monthly or quarterly activity statements.
You will need to report WET on your Annual GST return.
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
1
YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
This is a sample quarterly activity statement. Your activity
statement will contain all of your reporting requirements and
may not look exactly like this sample.
SAMPLE: Business activity statement – front
This bar code is used by
our electronic scanners to
identify your activity
statement.
Office use only
41950110
Business activity
statement
Michael Jones Pty Ltd
123 Lower Mountains Road
MT PLEASANT NSW 2222
This is the reporting
period that the activity
statement covers. It’s
usually a month or a
quarter.
The document ID is a
unique identifier for each
activity statement you
receive.
These are important
dates. They indicate
when you have to lodge
your activity statement
and when you have to
make a payment.
C
January to March 2010
When completing this form:
■ print clearly using a black pen
■ show whole dollars only (do not show cents)
■ if reporting a zero amount, print ‘0’ (do not use NIL)
■ leave boxes blank if not applicable (do not use N/A, NIL)
■ do not use symbols such as +, –, /, $.
12 123 123 123
ABN
97 999 999 999
Form due on
28 April 2010
Payment due on
28 April 2010
GST accounting method
Contact person who
completed the form
G21 $ 1905
OR
Option 1: Calculate GST and report quarterly
Total sales G1
Does the amount shown at
G1 include GST?
(indicate with X)
$
Export sales
G2
$
,
,
.00
Other GST-free sales
G3
,
Yes
,
.00
No
$
,
,
.00
Capital purchases
G10 $
,
,
.00
Non-capital purchases
G11 $
,
,
.00
Report GST on sales at 1A and GST on purchases at 1B in the
Summary section over the page and then complete the other sections
OR
Option 2: Calculate GST quarterly and report annually
Total sales G1
Does the amount shown at
G1 include GST?
(indicate with X)
$
,
Yes
,
.00
No
Report GST on sales at 1A and GST on purchases at 1B in the
Summary section over the page and then complete the other sections
NAT 4195-01.2010
Cash
Option 3: Pay GST instalment amount quarterly
Complete Option 1 OR 2 OR 3 (indicate one choice with an X)
Your Australian business
number (ABN).
This is the method (cash
or non-cash) you’ve
chosen to report GST
if you’re registered.
Contact phone number
Goods and services tax (GST)
For the QUARTER from 1 Jan 2009 to 31 Mar 2010
Document ID
Write this amount at 1A in the Summary section over the page
(leave 1B blank)
OR if varying this amount, complete G22, G23, G24
Estimated net
GST for the year
Varied amount for the
quarter
G22 $
,
,
.00
G23 $
,
,
.00
These are your contact
details. We use this
information to contact you
if there is a problem with
your activity statement.
Write the G23 amount at 1A in the Summary section over the page
and then complete the other sections (leave 1B blank)
Reason code for variation
G24
PAYG tax withheld
Total salary, wages and
other payments
W1 $
,
,
.00
Amount withheld from
payments shown at W1
W2 $
,
,
.00
Amount withheld where
no ABN is quoted
W4 $
,
,
.00
Other amounts withheld
(excluding any amount
shown at W2 or W4)
W3 $
,
,
.00
Total amounts withheld
(W2 + W4 + W3)
W5 $
,
,
.00
Write the W5 amount at 4 in the Summary section over the page and
then complete the other sections
[JS 15209]
Methods of payment
BPAY: contact your financial institution to make this
payment from your cheque or savings account.
Quote biller code 75556 and your EFT code (shown
on the front of the payment slip) as the customer
reference number.
Direct credit: you can electronically transfer funds to the
Tax Office’s direct credit bank account using online banking
facilities. Use BSB 093 003, Account number 316 385 and
your EFT code. Phone 1800 815 886 for assistance if required.
Direct debit: have your payment deducted from your financial
institution account (not credit cards). Phone 1800 802 308 for
a direct debit request form and/or details.
n4195-01-2010_with type.indd 1
Mail payments: mail the payment slip together with your cheque or
money order using the envelope provided. Please do not use pins or
staples. Do not send cash. See below for cheque information.
Post office: payments can be made at any post office by cash,
cheque or EFTPOS (where available and subject to daily limits). A
$3,000 limit applies to cash payments. Your payment slip must be
presented with your payment.
Cheques/money orders should be for amounts in Australian dollars
and payable to ‘Deputy Commissioner of Taxation’. Cheques should
be crossed ‘Not Negotiable’. Payments cannot be made by credit
card, or in person at any Tax Office branch or shopfront.
7/22/10 8:59 AM
To make sure we scan your activity statement correctly:
a black pen
nleave boxes blank if they don’t apply to you, unless we ask you to write ‘0’ (do not write N/A)
nrecord whole dollars only – leave off the cents
nif reporting a zero amount write ‘0’ (do not write NIL)
ndo not use symbols such as +, -, /, $
ndo not write any additional information on your activity statement – contact us if your details have changed.
nuse
2
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
SAMPLE: Business activity statement – back
Summary
PAYG income tax instalment
If you are using GST Option 3 leave 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F blank
Amounts you owe the Tax Office
Only complete Option 1 OR 2 (indicate one choice with X)
GST on sales
or GST instalment
1A $
,
,
.00
Wine equalisation tax
1C $
,
,
.00
1E
$
,
,
.00
4
$
,
,
.00
PAYG income tax
instalment
5A $
,
,
.00
FBT instalment
6A $
,
,
.00
Deferred company/fund
instalment
7
$
,
,
.00
1A +1C + 1E + 4 + 5A
+ 6A + 7
8A $
,
,
.00
Option 1: Pay a PAYG instalment amount quarterly
T7
$
Luxury car tax
Write the T7 amount at 5A in the Summary section
OR if varying this amount, complete T8, T9, T4
PAYG tax withheld
Estimated tax for the year
T8
$
,
,
.00
Varied amount for the
quarter
T9
$
,
,
.00
Write the T9 amount at 5A in the Summary section
Reason code for variation
T4
OR
Amounts the Tax Office owes you
Option 2: Calculate PAYG instalment using income times rate
PAYG instalment income
T1
$
,
T2
%
OR
New varied rate
T3
.
T1 x T2 (or x T3)
T11 $
,
GST on purchases
1B $
,
,
.00
Wine equalisation tax
refundable
1D $
,
,
.00
1F
$
,
,
.00
Credit from PAYG income tax
instalment variation
5B $
,
,
.00
Credit from FBT
instalment variation
6B $
,
,
.00
1B + 1D +1F + 5B + 6B
8B $
,
,
.00
.00
,
Luxury car tax refundable
%
.00
,
Write the T11 amount at 5A in the Summary section
Reason code for variation
T4
This is the section where
you summarise your
reporting obligations and
calculate whether you are
due a refund or you need
to pay.
A close up of this
section is shown on the
following page.
Payment or refund?
Fringe benefits tax (FBT) instalment
Is 8A more than 8B? (indicate with X)
F1
$
Write the F1 amount at 6A in the Summary section
OR if varying this amount, complete F2, F3, F4
Estimated FBT
for the year
F2
$
,
,
.00
Varied amount for
the quarter
F3
$
,
,
.00
Write the F3 amount at 6A in the Summary section
This is where you sign
and date your activity
statement.
Reason code for variation
Yes,
then write the result of 8A minus 8B at 9. This amount is
payable to the Tax Office.
No,
then write the result of 8B minus 8A at 9. This amount is
refundable to you (or offset against any other tax debt you have).
Your payment or refund amount
9
$
.00
,
,
Do not use symbols such as +, –, /, $
F4
Declaration I declare that the information given on this form is true and correct, and that
I am authorised to make this declaration. The tax invoice requirements have been met.
Signature
Date
/
/
Return this completed form to
Australian Taxation Office
Locked Bag 1793
PENRITH NSW 1793
HRS
MINS
Estimate the time taken to complete
this form. Include the time taken to
collect any information.
Activity statement instructions are available from www.ato.gov.au or can be ordered by phoning 13 28 66. The Tax Office is authorised by the tax laws to collect this information to
administer those laws and may pass information to other government agencies. More information about privacy and access to your tax information is available from www.ato.gov.au
This is the payment
advice that you use when
making a payment.
PAYMENT ADVICE - 60
0000 0156 03
Michael Jones Pty Ltd
97 999 999 999
Australian Taxation Office
Locked Bag 1793
PENRITH NSW 1793
97999 999 999 9999
n4195-01-2010_with type.indd 2
7/22/10 8:59 AM
If you have a WET, luxury car tax (LCT), or fringe benefits tax (FBT) obligation, all three boxes will appear on your activity
statement. Ignore the boxes that don’t relate to your activities.
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
3
WET LABELS ON YOUR
ACTIVITY STATEMENT
TABLE 1
Assessable
Calculation method
Amount
of WET
payable
Wholesale sale
of wine
n Sale
$
Retail sale of
grape wine
(including cellar
door sales)
n Half
retail price method,
or
n average wholesale price
method
$
Retail sale of
wine that is
not grape wine
n Half
$
Own use
connected with
retail sale of
grape wine
n Half
retail price method,
or
n average wholesale price
method
$
Own use
connected
with retail sale
of wine that is
not grape wine
n Half
$
Wine producer
rebate overclaimed
n In
dealing
LABEL 1C – WINE EQUALISATION TAX
Include at 1C all the WET that you are liable to pay in the
current reporting period.
price of wine
(excluding WET
and GST) x 29%
retail price method
retail price method
must be used
the final activity
$
statement for the financial
year, subtract the amount
of wine producer rebate
you’re entitled to claim for
the year from the amount
you’ve claimed for the
year.
Total wine equalisation tax payable
(copy to 1C on your activity statement)
$
Table 1 lists the most common transactions or assessable
dealings on which WET is payable. Use the table to work out
the type of dealing you have made and which calculation
method to use. Some of the terms used in the table are
explained on page 5.
Write the total amount payable at 1C on your activity statement.
If you have no WET to report, write ‘0’ at 1C.
4
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
DEFINITIONS
Assessable dealings
Transactions that attract WET are known as ‘assessable
dealings’. For the dealing to be assessable, the dealing must
be registered or required to be registered for GST.
Wholesale sale
A wholesale sale is a sale to an entity that buys the wine
to resell it.
Half retail price method
LABEL 1D – WINE EQUALISATION
TAX REFUNDABLE
Include at 1D the amount of WET refundable.
Table 2 lists the most common reasons for refunds. Use it to
calculate your total refund and write this amount at 1D on your
activity statement.
If you have nothing to report, write ‘0’ at 1D.
TABLE 2
Grounds for WET credit
Amount
of WET
refundable
You paid WET twice
$
You forgot to quote your ABN
when you purchased wine
$
You sold wine (on which WET had
been paid) to someone who quoted
an ABN and you excluded the WET
from the selling price
$
You exported wine GST-free and
the WET you paid on the wine was
excluded from the selling price
$
You sold wine (on which WET had
been paid) to an eligible traveller,
followed export rules, and you
excluded the WET from the selling
price
$
You wrote off bad debts that
included WET you’d paid
$
You’re entitled to the wine producer
rebate
$
Total wine equalisation tax
refundable for credits and rebate
(copy to 1D on your activity
statement)
$
The half retail price method uses the following calculation:
(50% of the retail price including WET and GST) × 29%
Average wholesale price method
You can only use this method if, in the relevant tax period, at
least 10% by value of your sales of grape wine are wholesale
sales that are both:
n the same vintage as the grape wine to which the
dealing relates
n produced from the same types, varieties or blends of
grapes as the grape wine to which the dealing relates.
You work out the average wholesale price using the weighted
average of the prices (excluding WET and GST) for wholesale sales
of grape wine that fall into the above category for the tax period.
Using the average wholesale price method, you calculate:
the average wholesale price × 29%
Own use
Own use includes any of the following:
n consuming the wine
n giving wine away, for example, a winery supplying free
tastings of its wine or a promotional giveaway
n transferring ownership of wine under a contract that is not
a contract for the sale of wine.
Wine producer rebate
The producer rebate scheme entitles wine producers to a rebate of
29% of the wholesale value of eligible domestic sales. To be eligible
for the producer rebate, you must be the producer of that wine.
This means you manufacture the wine from grapes, other fruit,
vegetables or honey you produce or purchase, or provide the
grapes, other fruit, vegetables or honey to a contract winemaker
to be made into wine on your behalf. Any rebate you receive is
assessable income for income tax purposes, so you must declare
it in your tax return.
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
You must enter an amount at labels 1C and 1D
on your activity statement:
nenter actual amounts, even if your liability and refund
are the same
nenter zero if you have nothing to report.
5
LODGING AND PAYING
CORRECTING MISTAKES
You can correct a mistake by striking it out in black pen. Write
the new information as close as possible to the boxes for the
label. Do not use correction tape or fluid – this causes problems
with scanning which will delay the processing of your activity
statement.
If you realise your mistake after lodging your activity statement,
you usually need to lodge a revised activity statement. Phone us
on 13 28 66 for a revised activity statement. Revised activity
statements are also available from the business portal, if you are
a registered user.
The due date for lodging and paying is pre-printed at the top
right hand corner of your activity statement. You can lodge and
pay electronically, by mail or in person, but you need to do it
on time to avoid interest and penalties. Even if you have no
amounts to report for the period or are having difficulty paying,
make sure you send us your activity statement on time.
YOUR MAILING ADDRESS
To ensure you receive your mail in a timely manner your address
details must be correct.
To update your address for receiving activity
statements, you can phone us on 13 28 66 or log
on to the business portal if you are a registered user.
To register for the business portal or for more
information visit www.ato.gov.au/onlineservices or
phone us on 1300 139 051.
HOW TO LODGE
Online
You can lodge electronically using one of the following:
nthe business portal
nelectronic commerce interface (ECI) over the internet
nyour registered tax agent or BAS agent.
For more information on electronic lodgment,
visit www.ato.gov.au/onlineservices or phone us
on 1300 139 051.
By mail
Mail your original, completed activity statement with your
cheque in the pre-addressed envelope provided.
If you misplace the envelope, you can send your activity
statement to:
VIC, TAS, WA, SA, NT
NSW, QLD, ACT
Australian Taxation Office
Australian Taxation Office
Locked Bag 1936
Locked Bag 1793
ALBURY NSW 1936
PENRITH NSW 1793
6
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
LODGING AND PAYING
By direct debit
It’s important that you send your original activity
statement, not a copy or a version generated from a
commercial software package. If you use a commercial
package, make sure you copy the information onto your
original statement.
HOW TO PAY
You will need to complete a direct debit request to have your
payment electronically deducted from your nominated bank
account.
If you make a payment at Australia Post, or you pay
electronically, you still need to send your completed activity
statement to us either by mail or electronically unless we
advise you otherwise on the form.
We do not accept credit card payments.
By mail
You can send a cheque using the pre-addressed envelope
provided. If you have lodged your activity statement
electronically, include the original payment advice slip with
your cheque.
Make cheques payable to the ‘Deputy Commissioner of
Taxation’ and cross them ‘Not negotiable’. Don’t attach
your cheque with pins or staples and don’t send cash.
At Australia Post
You can pay in person at Australia Post outlets using your
original payment advice slip. You can pay with cash (a $3,000
limit applies), money order or cheque. EFTPOS is available at
most Australia Post outlets for savings and cheque accounts.
To order additional or replacement payment slips,
phone us on 13 72 26.
By direct credit
For more information about paying by direct credit
or BPAY:
nphone us on 1800 815 886 between 8.00am and
6.00pm, Monday to Friday, or
nemail us at payment@ato.gov.au
For more information about BPAY, contact your
financial institution.
For more information about direct debit:
nphone us on 1800 802 308 between 8.00am and
6.00pm, Monday to Friday, or
nemail us at eft-information@ato.gov.au
WHAT IF YOU CAN’T LODGE AND PAY ON TIME?
You need to phone us on 13 28 66 to check if alternative
arrangements can be made.
Even if you can’t pay on time, you must still lodge your activity
statement by the due date.
The general interest charge will apply to any amount not paid by
the due date. A penalty may also apply if you fail to lodge on time.
You can electronically transfer funds to our direct credit bank
account using online banking facilities. Use BSB 093 003,
account number 316 385 and quote the EFT code from the
payment slip in the lodgment reference field.
By BPAY®
You can use your financial institution’s BPAY facility to pay by
phone or over the internet. Use Biller code 75556. The BPAY
reference number is the EFT code on your activity statement.
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
7
EXPECTING A REFUND?
Generally, if you have an Australian business number (ABN), we
can only pay refunds directly into your nominated financial
institution account, so it’s essential that we have your correct
account and branch (BSB) numbers. Your nominated account
must be at a branch of the institution in Australia.
To change your financial institution account details,
phone us on 13 28 66. You need to provide proof of
identity. We will ask for your tax file number, ABN or name
and specific identifiers (for example, information from a
previously generated tax notice).
If you don’t have an ABN, we will pay your refund by cheque.
If you haven’t lodged a previous activity statement or if you have
provided incorrect bank details, we may not issue a refund.
We may offset a refund against a tax debt and/or any other
Australian Government debt, for example a Child Support
Agency debt.
CAN YOU MAKE A VOLUNTARY PAYMENT?
You can make a voluntary payment, but you can’t make
voluntary payments on your activity statement. If you have an
electronic funds transfer (EFT) code, you can make a voluntary
payment by BPAY or by direct credit. If you don’t have an EFT
code, phone us on 1800 815 886 for help.
CHECKLIST
Have you:
completed labels 1C and 1D (even if they are zero)?
checked your calculations?
copied amounts correctly on to
your activity statement?
You may need to:
n complete any other sections that apply to you
and copy the totals to the summary section
n calculate
whether you must make a payment or
if you’re entitled to a refund
ncomplete
the payment or refund details
ncontact
us to update your address
(see ‘Your mailing address’ on page 6)
You must:
nsign and date your activity statement
nlodge
your original activity statement (not a copy)
by the due date
npay any amounts you owe by the due date.
Alternatively, you can mail your payment to:
VIC, TAS, WA, SA, NT
NSW, QLD, ACT
Australian Taxation Office
Australian Taxation Office
Locked Bag 1936
Locked Bag 1793
ALBURY NSW 1936
PENRITH NSW 1793
It’s very important that you include the following
information with your voluntary payment:
n payment type, for example WET payment
n your ABN or tax file number
n your full name and address (as shown on the front of
your activity statement)
n a contact phone number, including the area code.
8
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
KEEPING COPIES OF YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
You should keep a copy of your activity statement and the
records you used to prepare it for five years after they are
prepared, obtained or the transactions completed (whichever is
later), in writing and in English.
Information stored on magnetic tape or computer disk is not in
a written form. These records must be in a form that is readily
accessible and easily converted into English.
If you don’t have access to a photocopier, you can download a
copy of the activity statement from www.ato.gov.au and
record the information from your original activity statement onto
this copy and file it for your records.
WINE EQUALISATION TAX – HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ACTIVITY STATEMENT
9