In its decision in Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Press Holdings of May 31 2001, the High Court of Australia held in favour of the Commissioner of Taxation, concluding that a financing arrangement in connection with a takeover bid for a UK company, involving the interposition of a subsidiary to obtain an interest deduction, constituted a tax avoidance scheme under Australian tax law. The High Court also decided on a dividend-stripping tax avoidance issue arising out of a subsequent corporate reorganization, this time in favour of the taxpayer.
August 31 2001