End is nigh for individual tax returns as Tony Abbott flags reforms

Where the money’s counted ... the Australian Tax Office at No.2 Constitution Ave in Canberra. Source: News Limited

 

THE dreaded task of filling out tax returns could soon be a thing of the past for millions of Australians — if they trust the tax office. 

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has left the door open to getting rid of individual tax returns, and the Australian Tax Office is working on “push” returns that they would fill out and send to people for approval.

Up to 4.5 million Australians with simple tax affairs could eventually be eligible.

Mr Abbott and his Parliamentary Secretary Josh Frydenberg have launched their “Cutting Red Tape” website, which will track money saved by reducing regulation.

Mr Abbott was asked whether he would also help households by getting rid of tax returns and if it was on the table.

“At this stage, no, but watch this space,” Mr Abbott said.

“As you know, we’ve got a tax White Paper that will be coming out within 18 months and this is obviously one of the issues that may well be dealt with in that White Paper.”

Hands up who remembers the 1996 Taxpack?

The ATO has been working on technology that would process the information it already gets about taxpayers, produce a return, and send it to the taxpayer to sign off on.

More complex returns would still need to be manually completed, but for many the ATO would use their salary information, as well as information about their bank interest and shares and dividends, to complete a return.

Currently some of that information is “pre-filled” in the online tax return software but this would go further and complete the application.

The automatic return could eventually be offered to up to 4.5 million people.

“We’ve identified this as a possible service initiative and we’re working towards it,” an ATO spokeswoman said.

The ATO is aiming to bring in the new system this year, while the Government’s tax White Paper is not due until next year.

The Government has promised that reducing red tape would cut costs to business by $1 billion a year and next Wednesday they will have a “repeal day” to get rid of more than 8000 regulations and laws.

Mr Frydenberg said the public “had a gutful of too much red tape” and that the website would track their progress on deregulation.

Mr Abbott said cutting red tape would boost employment and drive prices down.

“This is a very important commitment that we’ve made, not just to the businesses of Australia, but to the workers of Australia and to the families of Australia because red tape boosts costs and the higher business costs are, the harder it is to employ and the higher that prices are for consumers,” he said.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia welcomed the move and the website, which will accept comments from the public. Chief executive officer Lee White said community involvement would improve the process.

adelaidenow.com.au 17 Mar 2014

The legal truth is that the ATO is not a lawful entity, and tax collection is NOT legal.

This is a well known fact not only in the highest circles of law and politics but also within certain sections of the educated community.

As a result these people have a remedy, which is used in the corporate businesses, known as 'courts' as a result shutting down the ATO.

The lawyers working for the ATO are fully aware of the knowledge in possession by those individuals, therefore finalising the matter before the courtroom doors.

However, there is one matter that has made it to the High Court of Australia, with regards to the ATO, that the presiding judges carried out actions illegally.

Their actions make them criminals, where they also suppressed information from the general populous.

This information will be published at a later date.