in Australia, can I get a tax deduction when living away from home for work? say 1 month on 1 month off?

Answer 1

At face value NO as living expenses are of a private nature whether you are working or not and no matter where are Such expenses generally only start to come into deductibilty when they are essential to earning the income and as per self ed expenses more or less required by the employer... some of the ATO ID's / cases below may clarify the situation.

http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?rank=find&criteria=AND~deductible~basic~exact:::AND~living~basic~exact:::AND~away~basic~exact:::AND~expenses~basic~exact&target=JA&style=java&sdocid=AID/AID2002829/00001&recStart=1&PiT=99991231235958&recnum=8&tot=258&pn=ALL:::ALL

http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?rank=find&criteria=AND~deductible~basic~exact:::AND~living~basic~exact:::AND~away~basic~exact:::AND~expenses~basic~exact&target=CA&style=java&sdocid=JUD/76ATC411/00003&recStart=1&PiT=99991231235958&recnum=17&tot=258&pn=ALL:::ALL

http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?rank=find&criteria=AND~deductible~basic~exact:::AND~living~basic~exact:::AND~away~basic~exact:::AND~expenses~basic~exact&target=JA&style=java&sdocid=AID/AID2002547/00001&recStart=1&PiT=99991231235958&recnum=7&tot=258&pn=ALL:::ALL