The Commissioner of Taxation has issued a special message to tax professionals ahead of the holidays, commending them on all of their hard work and promising to strengthening that relationship going forward.
“Tax professionals are a vital part of the tax system, and our commitment to providing you with a more streamlined and integrated experience has motivated a number of changes over 2019,” said Mr Jordan, referring to the rollout of the new Online services for agents.
Looking ahead, Mr Jordan said that the ATO’s Activity Statements Financial Processing project will provide one accounting and debt system, resulting in better client oversight and providing a platform for future improvements. The ATO is also set to replace AUSkey with myGovID and Relationship Authorisation Manager at the end of March.
“While these initiatives are designed to provide better services for you, we recognise that with any change comes disruption. We also understand that when new services are introduced, there are sometimes irritants and issues that need to be addressed,” said Mr Jordan.
“I can assure you we do not underestimate the impact this has on your business and your clients, and we do not make major changes lightly.
“However, we know that in the long term these changes will allow us to provide better services, reducing administrative burden and unnecessary processes so you can get on with the job of providing meaningful advice and guidance.”
The commissioner vowed to continue to work had to minimise any disruption and to listen to tax agents’ feedback so “that our solutions are workable, practical, and meet your needs”.
“I have always said, and continue to believe, that the health of the tax system depends on a successful working partnership between tax professionals and the ATO. Strengthening that relationship has been a focus of mine as commissioner, and will continue to be going forward,” Mr Jordan said.
“I look forward to working with you all in 2020 to understand and manage the impact of changes and ultimately provide you with better services, products and systems.”
“Thank you again for your support. I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas and new year,” he concluded.
ATO closure
In a separate statement, the ATO has advised it will close for the festive season at midday on Tuesday, 24 December 2019 and reopen at 8.00am on Thursday, 2 January 2020.
During this time, the ATO will undertake major system upgrades, with most of its systems to become unavailable from midday AEDT 24 December.
If you plan on working during its office closure period, the ATO has cautioned that your system access will be limited.
You will have access to:
- Single touch payroll (STP). You will still be able to report using STP, but these records will not be processed or visible until the ATO systems are available in the new year.
- SuperTICK single request service (SRP).
- Payments via BPAY, EFT or Australia Post. You and your clients can still make payments, but these will not be visible until the ATO systems are available. Payments will be progressively updated from 2 January 2020.
- The ATO Technical help desk External Link. You can contact the help desk about AUSkey and myGovID issues from 7.00am to midnight, excluding public holidays.
- Most of the ATO website, forms, tools or calculators will not be available.
