NTIn ForceAct
Partnership Act 1997
6Determining existence of partnership other than incorporated
Start here
Get a plain-English read of 6
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Partnership Act 1997.
6 Determining existence of partnership other than incorporated
limited partnership
(1) In determining whether a partnership (other than an incorporated
limited partnership) exists regard is to be had to the following rules:
(a) joint tenancy, tenancy in common, joint property, common
property, or part ownership, does not of itself create a
partnership as to anything held or owned, whether the tenants
or owners do or do not share any profits made by the use of
any thing held or owned;
(b) the sharing of gross returns does not of itself create a
partnership, whether the persons sharing the returns have or
have not a joint or common right or interest in any property
from which, or from the use of which, the returns are derived;
Part 2 Partnerships generally
Division 1 Nature of Partnerships
Partnership Act 1997 4
(c) the receipt by a person of a share of the profits of a business
is prima facie evidence that the person is a partner in the
business, but the receipt of a share of the profits of a business
or of a payment contingent on or varying with the profits of a
business does not of itself make the person a partner in the
business, and in particular:
(i) the receipt by a person of a debt or other liquidated
amount by instalments or otherwise out of the accruing
profits of a business does not of itself make the person a
partner in the business or liable as a partner;
(ii) a contract for the remuneration of an employee or agent
of a person engaged in a business by a share of the
profits of the business does not of itself make the
employee or agent a partner in the business or liable as
a partner;
(iii) a person being a spouse, de facto partner or child of a
deceased partner and receiving by way of annuity a
portion of the profits made in the business in which the
deceased person was a partner does not of itself make
the person a partner in the business or liable as a
partner;
(iv) the advance of money by way of loan to a person
engaged, or about to engage, in a business on a
contract with the person that the lender will receive a
rate of interest varying with the profits or will receive a
share of the profits arising from carrying on the business
does not of itself make the lender a partner with the
person or persons carrying on the business or liable as a
partner;
(v) a person receiving by way of annuity or otherwise a
portion of the profits of a business in consideration of the
sale by that person of the goodwill of the business is not
by reason only of such receipt a partner in the business
or liable as such.
(2) A contract referred to in subsection (1)(c)(iv) must be in writing and
signed by or on behalf of all the parties for that subparagraph to
apply.
Part 2 Partnerships generally
Division 2 Relationship of partners to persons dealing with them
Partnership Act 1997 5