The profession
We are committed to listening to and understanding the needs of the profession.
A key aspect of our work as a regulator is to focus on practical implementation and support for tax practitioners, especially considering our changing and complex environment. We frequently engage with the profession through public consultation, webinars, and publications such as the TPB eNews newsletter.
We are focused on building partnerships with professional associations by collaborating on the development of policy and guidance. We support practitioners who seek to comply, and we have renewed our efforts to reduce red tape for the profession. We use stakeholder feedback to continually improve our regulatory practice and help us respond to changes in our operating environment. Working together we can better support practitioners and collectively enhance the integrity of the profession.
Each year, we receive approximately 2,000 complaints and referrals from members of the public, registered tax practitioners and other interested parties. We welcome and value these insights into what is happening on the ground, and use the information to make our regulation of the industry effective.
We continue to explore new approaches to develop productive relationships that contribute to the effective operation of the tax profession and system. We are enhancing our program to support the clients of tax practitioners whose registrations have been suspended or terminated. We will notify the clients, guide them to the TPB Register to source a new registered tax practitioner, and describe any risks we have identified in relation to the suspended or terminated practitioner, so that they can review their own tax affairs and take any action required.
Other government partners
We build relationships with other government agencies and bodies to improve our compliance programs and achieve our vision.
Our relationships with other regulators are an essential part of our ability to serve the community and tax practitioners. We lawfully acquire and share data and information to deliver improved services and target behaviours of concern. To facilitate this collaboration and sharing of information, we have established relationships, processes, and systems with various government agencies, including the:
- ATO
- ASIC
- Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).
Collaborating with other relevant agencies is integral to our success. It is imperative we take collective, well-coordinated action to work collaboratively on risks and achieve our mutual aims. We also work closely with Treasury, and provide insights to support the design of the legislative and policy framework that impacts tax practitioners.
Consultation mechanisms
Our consultations with stakeholders, including tax practitioners, professional associations and government bodies are fundamental to our ability to deliver our strategic plans.
The TPB’s relationship with professional associations remains strong and will be enhanced through the government’s reform agenda. In particular, the government has highlighted the important role professional associations have in maintaining high standards within the tax profession. Measures to enhance appropriate information sharing between the TPB and certain professional bodies will ensure tax practitioners are encouraged and supported to conduct themselves in accordance with the standards expected by the community and government.
The Tax Practitioner Governance and Standards Forum was established to ensure any significant proposals affecting tax practitioners are made with appropriate consultation. The forum is co-chaired by the TPB and a representative from a professional association. Through it, our engagement with tax practitioners continues to grow and thrive.
Our Consultative Forum provides the TPB with input and advice in relation to operational matters associated with the TPB carrying out its duties under the TASA. In particular, the Consultative Forum provides the TPB with:
- initial input and feedback in relation to draft policy and legislative matters
- insights and advice on matters relating to the tax profession.
The multi-year law reform program includes several key topics for consultation. The profession, associations, and other regulators’ engagement through this process is critical to ensure law reforms are implementable and meet the objectives and purposes of the reforms. This has also increased engagement more broadly to manage the changes faced in the law reform program.
We welcome insights and feedback from all stakeholders, including members of the public who share intelligence and concerns with us.
Consultation with all our stakeholders occurs within an environment of trust and integrity, balancing transparency with confidentiality, always acting in the public interest.