Enquiries
Robert Comelli
Robert Hutt
Natalie Angelone
Chief Executive Officer
Education and Technical Manager
National Marketing Manager
T: 0419 358 679
T: 0408 772 297
T: 03 8665 3166
MEDIA RELEASE:
23 October 2009 - For Immediate
Release
AAT Australia welcomes new Tax
Practitioners Board
The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Australia’s CEO, Mr Robert Comelli was in
Sydney today to witness the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry announce the new Tax
Practitioners Board.
AAT Australia is pleased with the Board’s inception and has been awaiting this since the Tax
Agent Services Bill was announced.
Mr Robert Comelli said; “The establishment of the national Tax Practitioners Board is a positive
step toward national consistency in the administration of Tax and BAS Agents.”
“Now the Board is set up, we will know exactly which direction our members and bookkeepers-
alike should be heading towards, to comply with the new regime.” Mr Comelli said.
The Board was designed to provide a myriad of functions including:
o
administering the system for the registration of tax agents and BAS agents;
o
determining applications for registration;
o
investigating conduct that may breach the Tax Agent Services Act 2009, including
non-compliance with the Code of Professional Conduct and breaches of the civil
penalty provisions;
o
imposing administrative sanctions for non-compliance with the Code of
o
Professional Conduct; and
o
Issuing guidelines on relevant matters.
AAT Australia has always been in favour of the new legislation believing it to be long overdue.
“The introduction of appropriate standards for bookkeepers will contribute greatly to improving
the quality of services provided by them particularly those who are not members of a
professional body – and give the accounting technician profession improved credibility in the
eyes of the general public and accountants alike.
Also announced today were the new features to the regulations after the public consultation
process. The office of the Assistant Treasurer advised these changes are to include;
o
maintaining the existing ability for individuals with academic qualifications in law to
seek registration as a tax agent, even if they haven’t completed the additional
practical legal training course required to practice law;
o
providing the Tax Practitioners Board (Board) with greater flexibility in determining which
additional courses a specialist tax agent service provider is required to complete in order
to be eligible for registration – this ensures that individuals whose registration is limited
Enquiries
Robert Comelli
Robert Hutt
Natalie Angelone
Chief Executive Officer
Education and Technical Manager
National Marketing Manager
T: 0419 358 679
T: 0408 772 297
T: 03 8665 3166
to providing services in a narrow area of the taxation law, such as quantity surveyors,
are not required to complete courses that are of limited or negligible value;
o
providing the Board with greater flexibility in the types of organisations it is able to
recognise for the purposes of the Regulations;
o
confirming that Recognised Tax Agent Associations are not intended to exist
exclusively for tax agent or BAS agent members as it is realistic for professional
associations to seek to represent a wider group;
o
replacing the term ‘Recognised Professional Associations’ with ‘Recognised Tax
Agent Associations’ to better reflect the full suite of associations present across tax
agent services;
o
providing the Board with the discretion to recognise Recognised Tax Agent
Associations that do not meet the voting requirements or do not have the requisite
number of members having regard to the purpose and intent of the tax agent services
regime, to ensure that a broader range of organisations can seek to be recognised by
the Board;
o
confirming that if a Recognised Tax Agent Association’s registration is terminated by
the Board, the Board will have full discretion to delay the termination of an tax or BAS
agents registration so as to give them sufficient time to seek membership of an
alternative association;
o
ensuring that Recognised Tax Agent Associations are not prevented from offering
voting membership to individuals with substantial experience in providing tax agent
services and individuals who have academic legal qualifications – but may not have
completed the additional practical legal training required to practice law; and
o
confirming that existing and aspiring agents would not be required to be a member of
a professional association or BAS association to be registered under the regime.
To assist members and other bookkeepers in the industry, AAT Australia has been conducting
information sessions in major cities and regional areas around Australia since April this year to
explain the intent of the legislation on BAS preparers; these will continue to happen to ensure
that all members are informed of these changes to their profession.
Mr Comelli said that AAT Australia’s membership requirements and services are consistent
with the standards outlined in the Act. This includes a minimum qualification requirement for
full membership and the introduction of cost effective professional indemnity insurance exclusive
to AAT Australia members.
Ends:
NEWS 
