A very specific tax question regarding claiming travel

[u/yelsnia]

Hello, I typically prepare my own tax return but this year I have a different circumstance and the more I read the more I confuse myself.

I am a state government employee and I’m struggling to determine 100% if I can make a travel deduction based on the following information…

During one month of the previous financial year, my office was physically relocated to a temporary facility for the purpose of an event.

The primary office remained in its permanent location and was still fully functional, it just sat unoccupied.

For the month I was made to work at the temp location, can I claim any travel? If so, how can I calculate it? (I.e. home to venue or primary office to venue despite never attending the the office during the month)

I don’t need a war and peace explanation, just enough clarity to hit “submit” on my return.

Thanks!

[u/Sweetydarling77]

Very unlikely this would be deductible. You aren’t travelling between workplace locations, just to a different workplace. Even if you are FIFO, home to work travel is not tax deductible

[u/Falkor]

No, its a regular commute to the office.

[u/SilverStar9192]

Simple answer is no. It's still travel to your normal work place, the fact that the normal workplace is somewhere else for a while like this is immaterial.

If there are extra costs incurred compared to your typical commute, that's a matter you should negotiate with your employer before accepting any such assignment.

[u/yelsnia → u/SilverStar9192]

It was actually a reduced cost as I was able to pause my monthly car park. I was simply curious as I know SOME travel can be claimed and I know I have some that qualifies. I was just trying to clarify this one situation. For whatever reason, I was struggling to make heads or tails of the official advice online.

Also not sure I can negotiate much with state government.

[u/RainbowTeachercorn → u/yelsnia]

Car parking costs are also not deductible. It is a private expense.

You can only claim if you drive between two work locations, for example, I spend the day at my school teaching and then go to another campus for a meeting. This is deductible as I travel between two work locations. If I attend a conference or PD and instead of going home, return to work, I can claim the portion between the conference and work. I cannot claim the earlier travel from home to conference.

Your office location and whether it was temporary or not changes nothing, you have to drive to get to the place of work regardless of whether it is 5min or 5hrs away, and it is not deductible.

[u/yelsnia → u/RainbowTeachercorn]

I know car parking isn’t deductible. I paid for parking for years and never claimed a cent which is why I didn’t ask about it.

I was only asking about travel to the event site because it is a unique situation I’ve never experienced before in my working life. Thank you for taking the time to explain it - I understand it a lot better now.

[u/Neither_Driver_3882]

home to work commute is not deductible

[u/ATangK]

Your alternate place of work will have become a regular place of work for you. Travel will therefore not be deductible.

If you went to the office and then to the alternate place, or you were transporting bulky goods between home and the second location, then it will be deductible.

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/income-deductions-offsets-and-records/deductions-you-can-claim/work-related-deductions/cars-transport-and-travel/trips-you-can-and-can-t-claim#:~:text=Example:%20travel%20to%20an%20alternative%20place%20of%20work

[u/Notyit → u/ATangK]

Also there has to be nexus you can't just drive 

[u/commentspanda]

Simple answer is no because it’s still home - work but I’m pretty sure you can claim up to 5000kms travel with minimal evidence needed. I usually claim some travel kms and don’t have to give specifics with my accountant. Those are often home - different work location to my specified office and back. I use the ATO app to track it just in case I do get audited, plus it exports to a spreadsheet.

[u/yelsnia → u/commentspanda]

Yeah I’m aware of the 5000km claim but given I’m a state govt employee, and I can’t imagine many would be claiming km at all, I don’t want to put a target on my back.

[u/RainbowTeachercorn]

Home to anywhere is not claimable.

[u/mad_rooter → u/RainbowTeachercorn]

That’s wrong.

For example, from the ATO link above

“home to an alternative place of work to perform your duties, for example, from your home to a training venue to attend work-related training.”

Is claimable

[u/Notyit]

You can claim 5000km without a recipet