53Treatment of partners

53 Treatment of partners

(1) This Act applies to a partnership as if the partnership were a person, but it applies with the following changes. (2) Obligations that are imposed under this Act on a partnership are imposed on each partner, but may be discharged by any of the partners. (3) The partners are jointly and severally liable to pay any amount that is payable under this Act by the partnership. (4) Any offence against this Act that is committed by a partnership is taken to have been committed by each partner who:

(a) aided, abetted, counselled or procured the relevant act or omission; and

(b) was in any way knowingly concerned in, or party to, the relevant act or omission (whether directly or indirectly and whether by any act or omission of the entity).

(5) For the purposes of this Act, a change in the composition of a partnership does not affect the continuity of the partnership. (6) In this section:

this Act includes the Taxation Administration Act 1953, to the extent to which that Act relates to this Act.