Standard Business Reporting

The ATO Commissioner, Mr Michael D’Ascenzo has spoken about forthcoming changes to the ATO, including for SBR, in recent months. The following are extracts from speeches made by the Commissioner during early 2012:

Mitigating Risk

Extract from the speech by the Commissioner of Taxation Michael D'Ascenzo to the 10th International Tax Administration Conference (ATAX), Sydney, 2 April 2012
- Source: Australian Taxation Office   

Investment in IT

Analytics and the effective use of digital information is today at the centre of modern tax administration. In addition, on-line processes now make guidance and support for taxpayers and their advisers more accessible. For example, taxpayers and tax administrators from around the globe can now readily access tax related legislation, and our latest rulings and advice which are hosted on the ATO's online legal database (ATO Law).

We are also investing in new online services that are being delivered as part of the Superannuation Reforms. This new online system will facilitate:

• updating of personal information, including address, contact numbers and bank details,
• checking on the progress of income tax returns that have been lodged, and
• the making of payment arrangements.

We expect these additional services will be available progressively from 2013, giving life to what could be described as an Individual's Portal. Once established, we will use this web-based platform to better support the Tax Agent and Business portals. As we develop our future web-based online systems we will build on the advantages that Standard Business Reporting (SBR) can provide, in particular, a substantial reduction in business reporting costs. We are currently developing our forward-looking IT plan which places particular emphasis on promoting on-line with a view to reducing compliance costs and to improve Australia's efficiency.

Tax Practitioner Action Plan

Extract from the speech by the Commissioner of Taxation Michael D'Ascenzo to the CPA Sydney Professional Accountants Group Annual Dinner, 2 February 2012
- Source: Australian Taxation Office   

Improve the support we give you

As we develop our future online systems we will look at continuing to build on the advantages Standard Business Reporting (SBR) can potentially provide to both of us, in particular, substantial reduction in business reporting costs.

As part of this move in the future we will be looking to redevelop some of our flagship systems like ELS into SBR technology. This will result in tax practice management software being able to support not only next generation ELS services, but also make them available to whole of government interactions. We will commence our consultation with software providers this month. We plan to transition to SBR for ELS services from 2015.

Under our online Action Plan we (the ATO and the Tax Profession) will be working closely together to ensure that the introduction of the new platform allows us to optimise your ability to manage your client's affairs easily and efficiently.

We would also want to ensure that we implement these changes in ways which are the least disruptive to your business. Again we would hope to do this by working together with the profession to design an appropriate transition plan.

We don't expect you to wait until 2015 for any improvements to the tax agent portal, even though extensive changes to our superannuation systems to support the Government's Stronger Super measures will absorb a lot of our IT capabilities and limit our capacity for other major IT changes. In the interim we are looking for shorter term solutions to deal with your immediate and most pressing concerns.

Last updated: 03 May 2012
Page ID: 13488