The 11 professional accounting and bookkeeping bodies forming the National Tax Liaison Group and the Tax Practitioners Stewardship Group have asked Premier Dan Andrews to reconsider the six-week business closure of 16,500 tax professionals in Victoria and allow them access the permitted worker scheme.
“For some tax practitioners and their clients, these restrictions will result in an inability to access time-critical tax advice, lodge obligations on time (e.g. payment summaries) or make payments on time (e.g. payment notices such as notices of assessment for clients could go unopened for six weeks, extending beyond the due date of the payment),” the joint bodies, including the Institute of Public Accountants, said.
“Also, some may miss out on stimulus payments (e.g. not claiming JobKeeper on time) and suffer significant penalties (e.g. where they are unable to access the superannuation guarantee amnesty).”
According to the joint bodies, not only should tax professionals have access to their own business premises and that of their clients, but accountants specialising in insolvency and performing duties that require them to take possession of business assets should also be allowed a movement permit.
“Accountants and bookkeepers will be critical to the government and business sector over the coming weeks to ensure the delivery of economic support and to assess business viability. Businesses are far more likely to turn to their accountant than any other source to guide them through this current crisis and beyond,” the joint bodies said.
“We believe it is important to recognise the valuable frontline role tax practitioners play in ensuring the collection of revenue and disbursement of government payments in a timely and orderly manner, in addition to the advisory services they are providing to businesses in financial distress as a result of the stage 4 restrictions.
“There are significant risks to the economy, the business operating environment, and the tax and superannuation systems if they are unable to operate.”
Earlier this week, Mr Andrews confirmed that professional firms, including accountants and legal services firms, will not be permitted to work on-site from Wednesday 11:59pm, for a period of six weeks.
“These are heartbreaking decisions but is simply no choice. The advice from a medical expert is that this is the only way to get these numbers under control, to drive them down low enough so that we can open up again,” said Mr Andrews.
