Australia’s Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, has launched the new Australian national Tax Practitioners Board…
By announcing its membership….
The chair of the new board will be Dale Boucher, PSM, a holder of the Public Service Medal, and former CEO of the Australian Government Solicitor?s Office.
Senator Sherry also announced the release of the proposed final form of the Tax Agent Services Regulations.
They include new features such as:
maintaining the existing ability for individuals with academic qualifications in law to seek registration as tax agents, even if they have not completed the additional practical legal training course required to practice law
providing the Tax Practitioners 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
providing the board with greater flexibility in the types of organisations it is able to recognise for the purposes of the regulations
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
providing the board with the discretion to recognise a broader range of organisations that can seek to be recognised by the board
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 a tax or BAS agents registration so as to give them sufficient time to seek membership of an alternative association
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.
http://asiatax.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/australia-new-tax-practitioners-board-launched/
This is what the Australian Tax Institute says:
Taxation Institute Welcomes New Tax Practitioners Board on appointment
Australia’s premier professional tax body, the Taxation Institute of Australia, today welcomed the appointment of the new Chairman and other members of the new Tax Practitioners Board.
Taxation Institute CEO, Noel Rowland said, with the impending commencement date of 1 January 2010, the Taxation Institute is keen for the new Board to give its urgent attention to guiding Tax and BAS agents on key elements of the new regime.?
“The Institute is eager to see the Board give its immediate attention to providing guidance on how key elements of the regime will work, including the code of conduct, safe harbours and supervision requirements, so that agents can easily transition to the new rules,” Noel Rowland said.
“We are pleased to hear the Minister advise he had heard the Institute’s and other professional associations’ concerns about certain aspects of the draft regulations and that new features are being included in the final form of the regulations to address these concerns. It is critical that these regulations are finalised as they contain the important detail on the new registration requirements for tax and BAS agents and the requirements for becoming a Recognised Tax Agent Association,” said Noel Rowland.
“We look forward to the new regulations being? finalised as soon as possible, so that Tax and BAS agents and the Professional Associations who become Recognised Tax Agent Associations under the new rules can be ready for the 1 January 2010 commencement date”, added Noel Rowland.
For further comment on this or other tax matters contact Noel Rowland on 0414 278 279.
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Media Contacts: Noel Rowland, CEO – Taxation Institute of Australia on 0414-278-279
Anna Mirzayan, General Manager, Marketing – Taxation Institute of Australia on
T: (02) 8223 0061 or M: 0414 241 149 or [email protected]
