Ken Fehily is a GST expert with over 30 years of experience with resolving difficult, uncertain and complex indirect tax issues.

After 20 years as a senior partner at both PwC and Andersen, Ken founded independent consultancy Fehily Advisory in 2010 to dedicate himself to achieving prompt and definitive outcomes for clients and advisors facing GST issues or disputes with the ATO. Drawing on his deep technical knowledge, commercial experience and strong persuasion skills, Ken identifies and realises unconventional solutions to intractable problems.

He advises, represents and negotiates on behalf of business owners, investors, CEOs and CFOs across a wide range of matters, including real property, tax audits and tax audit insurance, cross-border transactions, deals and structuring, procedural mistakes, ATO refunds and financier obligations. He also works together with clients’ incumbent advisors and other professionals.

Ken was one of the architects of the GST, having assisted the Federal Treasurer’s Committee in the writing of the GST laws, and as a member of the ATO’s Public Rulings Panel for eight years. He continues to consult with the ATO and Federal Treasury on current and emerging GST issues, ATO administrative practices and legislative changes, and he serves as an external member of the ATO’s GST Stewardship Group.

He has extensive knowledge about a broad range of non-GST issues, is legally and financially literate and intuitive and has connections across both the private and government sectors. Through advising and serving on a number of Boards, he has developed a strong understanding of Board governance, having dealt and negotiated with and between private sector and government stakeholders from commercial and stakeholder perspectives.

Ken Fehily’s CV

2020s

GST Specialist Advisor and Mentor, Director, Fehily Advisory Pty Ltd
ATO GST Stewardship Group member
Finance, Investment and Tax Committee Member, Urban Development Institute of Australia
Member, ATO GST Stewardship Group
Member, CPA Australia, Centre of Excellence – Taxation
Alumni, ‘A Good Society’ Symposia, Cranlana Foundation
Numerous NFP Board finance and audit committees

2010s

Director / GST Client Advocate, Fehily Advisory Pty Ltd
Finance, Investment and Tax Committee Member, Urban Development Institute of Australia
Board Chairman, Urban Renewal Authority Victoria (Places Victoria)
Member, ATO GST Stewardship Group
Member, CPA Australia, Centre of Excellence – Taxation
Alumni, ‘A Good Society’ Symposia, Cranlana Foundation

2000s

Partner / Leader National GST Practice, PwC
External Advisor, Australian Taxation Office
Member, ATO Public Rulings Panel

1990s

International Partner / Leader Asia Pacific Indirect Tax Practice, Andersen
Advisor, Federal Government (Federal Treasurer’s GST Technical Advisory Committee)

1980s

Senior Manager, Coopers & Lybrand
Partner, Fehily Loaring

1970s

Sales Tax Investigation Officer, Australian Taxation Office
Manager – Indirect Tax, Price Waterhouse

Ken has also held Board and advisory positions on many not-for-profit, private and government organisations, including the following:

Bialik College (Board Member, 25 years; Treasurer, eight years; Governor, five years)
Independent Schools Victoria (Board Member, 12 years)
Association of Independent Schools Councils (Board Member, six years)
Melbourne Art Foundation (Board Member, six years, including Chairman)
Jewish Museum of Australia (Board Member, one year)
St Kilda Hebrew Congregation (Board Member and Treasurer, two years)
Emergency Services Responder, Victorian SES
Numerous private businesses

Professional Capabilities Relevant To You

Capitalises on his high level of commercially leveragable GST knowledge

Anticipates and generates client-responsive outcomes once the technical GST position is determined

Understands how to leverage taxation, financial, legal, economic and commercial experience for the benefit of clients in meeting their commercial, statutory and stakeholder responsibilities and objectives

Responds to competing needs of multiple stakeholders, including statutory authorities

Draws on his comprehensive financial and legal literacy and an ability to understand complex financial statements, laws and contracts

Recognises and respects the governance duties and responsibilities of Directors and other professionals

Responds to the urgent needs of clients as they arise, enabling full and prompt resolutions

Possesses strong verbal and written communication skills

Maintains a highly respected, trusted and professional relationship with the ATO and Federal Treasury to the ultimate benefit of his private clients

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

Bachelor of Economics, Monash University

Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors

Registered Tax Agent

Member, ATO GST Stewardship Group

Fellow, Chartered Accountant

Fellow, CPA Australia

Member, CPA Australia, Centre of Excellence – Taxation

Chartered Tax Advisor, The Tax Institute

Emergency Services Responder, Victorian SES

Career Highlights

Consistently achieves favourable outcomes in ATO contested matters, court challenges and commercial negotiations on behalf of clients

Regularly consulted as part of broader advisory teams on many major transactions, mergers and acquisitions, financial securitisations, investments and divestments, contributing to the successful progression of potential deals or, when appropriate, withdrawal

Successfully led the largest and most complex GST implementation programs in 2000, including for Australia Post, Visy, Linfox, Orica and the Victorian government

Provided strategic advice and assistance, with favourable outcomes, to many Victorian government agencies, including those responsible for Treasury, Health, Major Projects, Housing, Planning and Major Events

Led the successful turnaround of Places Victoria, an underperforming and unprofitable government agency, into a commercially sustainable and profitable agency with the backing of its government stakeholders and, regaining private sector confidence

My Credentials