What do you suppose that means"Bitcoin traders and investors will not be taxed for purchasing and selling Bitcoin through regulated exchanges and trading platforms"?
Sounds like control to me? Sort of like how the Social Security Number was "Not to be used for ID" Hmmm...
I think the keywords here are "regulated exchanges and trading platforms". If you're not on one of these government approved platforms, then are you shut out of the market? What will the Australian government then require of these exchanges once they are in. Sure, important to know that the exchanges won't screw you and steal your money, but what else comes along with the government requirements they will impose for this.
Similar to Canada (where I live), Australia has a GST tax (Goods and services), that was meant to be applied to the end consumer at the time of purchase of a product. That they are currently charging GST on the "purchase" of bitcoin as though it were a product, as well as on anything that bitcoin is used to buy, means they were double taxing. Picture bitcoin as a foreign currency... when you convert USD to CAD for a trip to Canada, you do not pay tax on the value of the conversion, only when you spend the CAD in Canada to buy a product. With the new Australian rules, bitcoin will now be treated as any other currency.
That's extremely important that this has been changed, but were they actually controlling this in Australia anyway? Was it even possible?