Overview
Each year, billions of dollars in government payments are paid by Commonwealth agencies to service providers to deliver services to the Australian community under various Commonwealth programs, including:
- disability support
- aged care
- child care.
The cross-agency Government Payments Program (GPP) was established to deliver greater integrity and fairness across these Commonwealth programs.
The GPP complements existing annual payment and grant reporting by Commonwealth agencies through the taxable payments annual report (TPAR).
Accountabilities and responsibilities
The Commonwealth agencies using service providers have accountability for ensuring the proper use of public resources.
At the same time, the service providers receiving payments are responsible for meeting their tax, super and registry obligations.
We know most providers do the right thing, but there are a few who exploit Commonwealth programs by:
- unlawfully claiming payments they aren’t entitled to
- receiving payments while not complying with tax and superannuation obligations.
This is against the law, and unfair to those doing the right thing.
What the GPP does
The GPP aims to support that service providers receiving government payments from participating Commonwealth agencies to meeting their tax, super and registry obligations.
It also aims to:
- work more effectively with government entities to deliver greater system integrity and risk treatment strategies across a range of programs.
- maximise the value of ATO data to government entities (in accordance with the current data sharing legislative framework).
How it works
The ATO works collaboratively with GPP-participating agencies to maximise the value of ATO data, using the current data-sharing legislative framework.
Examples include:
- identifying and addressing tax and super risks, trends and non-compliance by service providers receiving government payments for delivering services
- supporting government entities by providing feedback at an aggregate agency or program level and where allowed by legislation at an individual provider level.
The ATO has published the GPP data-matching program protocol, which outlines how we’ll collect and use data from GPP-participating Commonwealth agencies.
Key objectives of the data-matching program protocol include:
- Obtain reliable data about the service providers receiving payments, which can then be analysed to identify and assess risks and trends of tax non-compliance within the service provider population.
- Enable the ATO to work with service providers and government entities to obtain a better understanding of the environment and the risks.
- Identify and educate service providers that may be operating outside of the tax system and failing to meet their registration, lodgment, reporting and payment obligations and assist them to comply.
- Promote voluntary compliance and strengthen community confidence in the integrity of the tax and superannuation systems.
- Gain insights to shape future treatment strategies, which may include educational or compliance activities.
- Support government entities in their understanding of any identified tax and super risks associated with the specific programs being examined.
GPP-participating agencies
We are the matching agency and, in most cases, the sole user of the data obtained during this data-matching program.
We currently obtain data from the following agencies and programs:
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Large-scale Renewable Energy Target
- Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme
- Department of Education
- Child Care Subsidy
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
- VET Student Loans Program
- Department of Health and Aged Care
- Aged Care Subsidy
- Hearing Services Program
- Department of Veterans' Affairs
- Health treatment programs
- National Disability Insurance Agency
- National Disability Insurance Scheme
We have previously obtained data from the following agencies and programs:
- Comcare
- Services provided under the Safety and Rehabilitation Act 1988
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
- VET FEE-HELP Scheme
- Employment Services
- Department of Health and Aged Care (formally Department of Health)
- Commonwealth Home Support Programme
- Department of Home Affairs
- Youth Transition Support Services
- National Community Hubs
- Humanitarian Settlement Program
- Australian Cultural Orientation Program
- Adult Migrant English Program
- Free Translating Service
- Settlement Engagement and Transition Support Program
- National Indigenous Australians Agency
- Indigenous Advancement Strategy