Fletch draws on his experience managing tax and customs disputes to provide his clients with clear, practical tax advice across a range of commercial issues.
Fletch’s technical specialisations include income tax (including international tax and residency issues), GST, payroll tax and customs duties. In managing clients’ tax and customs disputes, Fletch helps with the audit stages, ATO interviews, notices of objection, appeals in the AAT, QCAT, Federal Court and Supreme Court.
In recent years, Fletch successfully acted for the taxpayers in Harding v Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCAFC 29 (a residency case), Wainwright and Commissioner of Taxation [2019] AATA 333 (a self-managed super fund case), Hacon v Commissioner of Taxation [2017] FCA 659 (ATO’s obligations to give a private ruling), Shadforth Lythgo Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue GAR098-15 (a payroll tax grouping case), Dempsey v Commissioner of Taxation [2014] AATA 335 (a residency case) and Dominic B Fishing Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2014] AATA 205 (an employee/contractor case), and has settled numerous disputes before the matter proceeded to hearing. Fletch has also presented sessions for Television Education Network, CPA Australia and the Tax Institute.
Before joining Cooper Grace Ward, Fletch was a tax lawyer in Baker & McKenzie’s Sydney office. Prior to that, Fletch worked for a Big 4 accounting firm in China and the UK.
Fletch has been consecutively listed in Best Lawyers Australia for customs and excise law since 2014 and in Doyle’s Guide for tax law since 2015.
In this episode of TaxLand, Fletch and Sarah look at recent amendments to the Tax Agent Services Act that impose obligations on tax agents to report significant breaches of the Code of Professional Conduct, both for themselves and other tax agents.
In this episode of TaxLand with Fletch and Sarah, we are honoured to welcome special guest Michael May, barrister from Level 27 Chambers. We delve into the ATO’s PCG 2021/4 compliance approach to profit allocations in professional firms and Michael shares his expert perspective on Part IVA following the Full Federal Court’s decision in Minerva Financial Group Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation – all set in a world where chocolate Labradors and aliens coexist.
In this episode of TaxLand, Fletch and Sarah talk about the recent decision in Loan Market Group Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2024] NSWSC 390 that dealt with the relevant contract provisions in the context of mortgage brokers. We also look at what consequences that may have for medical practices.
Cooper Grace Ward acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Fast, accurate and flexible entities including companies, self-managed superannuation funds and trusts.