# Australia high court rules Uber liable for $81m payroll tax

Australia’s High Court ruled that Uber must pay about $81 million in payroll tax and treated its drivers as employees for tax purposes, rejecting Uber’s contractor model. The decision is a major test of gig-economy classification and could raise costs and legal risks for Uber and similar platforms in Australia.

**Importance:** 4/5

## Sources

### World
- [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/nov/04/uber-australia-high-court-loss-driver-wages-81m-payroll-tax-bill-ntwnfb) — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 02:15:01 GMT