Healthscope’s Controversial Tax Benefit Proposal Draws Fire
Summary: Healthscope, Australia’s second-largest private hospital group currently in receivership, is facing criticism for a proposal that would see the company take up to 90% of tax benefits intended for employees. The company has applied for charity status and is asking approximately 15,000 eligible staff to access salary packaging benefits worth up to $11,660 annually, then return most of the savings to the company.
Key Points:
- Healthscope’s proposal could cost taxpayers tens of millions in lost revenue while providing minimal benefits to workers
- Unions and tax experts have condemned the move as a “tax rort” and “phoney use of non-profit status”
- The company is undergoing restructuring as a charity under the entity “PurposeCo” while carrying $1.6 billion in debt
- Healthscope claims the measure is necessary to maintain viability and preserve jobs
- Unions warn this could set a dangerous precedent for other struggling companies in sectors like NDIS
Reactions: Health Services Union leader Kate Marshall called the scheme “highly objectionable,” while tax expert Jason Ward described it as “a phoney use of non-profit status to create private wealth.” Healthscope maintains the proposal provides “significant financial benefits to staff” while supporting the company’s viability.
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Healthscope税务优惠提案引发强烈批评
摘要：目前处于破产管理的澳大利亚第二大私立医院集团Healthscope因一项有争议的提案而面临批评，该提案将让公司获取本应属于员工的税务优惠的90%。公司已申请慈善机构身份，并要求约15,000名符合条件的员工申请每年高达11,660澳元的工资包装福利，然后将大部分节省金额返还给公司。
关键要点：
- Healthscope的提案可能导致纳税人损失数千万税收收入，而员工获益甚微
- 工会和税务专家谴责此举为”税务欺诈”和”虚假利用非营利地位”
- 公司在背负16亿澳元债务的同时，正以”PurposeCo”实体进行慈善重组
- Healthscope声称该措施对维持公司生存和保留工作岗位是必要的
- 工会警告这可能为NDIS等其他行业陷入困境的公司开创危险先例
各方反应：卫生服务工会领袖Kate Marshall称该计划”高度令人反感”，税务专家Jason Ward则形容这是”虚假利用非营利地位创造私人财富”。Healthscope坚持认为该提案在为员工提供”显著经济利益”的同时支持公司生存能力。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-20/healthscope-proposal-for-workers-tax-benefits-under-fire/105894910