Budget 2015: Tax Compliance

May 2015

The ATO will be given an extra $265.5m over three years and the ability to modify the operation of tax law to ensure its purpose or objective is achieved. 

SFCT at the forefront

The Tax Office will receive an extra $265.5m over 3 years from 1 July 2016 for its GST compliance program. The Serious Financial Crime Taskforce is increasingly taking the lead on investigations and prosecutions for superannuation and investment fraud, identity crime and tax evasion. The Taskforce has received an additional $127.6m over 4 years.

There is also quite a bit of money set aside for streamlining how Government interacts with business and individuals to streamline compliance and unnecessary form filling.

Tax Commissioner given power to change laws

The Government is providing the Tax Commissioner with the ability to make a legislative instrument to modify the operation of the tax law to ensure that the law's purpose or object is achieved. Any legislative instrument will be subject to consultation and disallowance by Parliament, and will also require royal assent.

There are no other details on this change but we'll bring you more as soon as details are released.

Technology to transform how you interact with Government

The Government is committing $254.7 over 5 years to implement an agenda that uses technology to streamline how you interact with Government.

The funding includes the creation of a Digital Transformation Office within the Communications portfolio. Among the initiatives, the Government is looking to:

Implement a 'tell us once' service so you can update your contact details once for all agencies
Streamline grants administration including a single portal to search and apply for all grants
A whole of Government digital mail box to enable you to receive and transact digital messages with the Government in a secure and seamless environment

This measure is part of an ongoing program announced as part of the Coalition's election policies.