Resources
The Tax Office will provide reasonable resources to ensure the chair and secretariat are able to meet commitments made to the forum's operations, in line with agreed budgets.
Frequency and timing of meetings
Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG meetings will be scheduled quarterly, with additional workshops or phone hook-ups as required.
In addition, members may be contacted by phone or email between meetings for feedback and suggestions on matters as they arise. Phone meetings will be limited, wherever possible, to one hour duration.
Members may contact the secretariat in writing between meetings to raise issues of a strategic or interpretive nature. Members should include sufficient information and a proposed response in their request three to four weeks prior to the meeting to ensure publication in the next agenda. Where possible, a draft response will be included in the agenda for the next meeting. The issue and, where possible, a final response will be documented in the minutes of the meeting that will be published on the Tax Office website once they have been endorsed.
The secretariat of the Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG will advise members in advance of meeting dates, venues and times.
Consultation with members between meetings will be coordinated by the secretariat. The extent of additional consultations will be monitored by the chair and secretariat in collaboration with Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG members, to ensure that involvement of members is maintained at a mutually satisfactory level.
Records management
The secretariat will provide ongoing coordination and record-keeping. Members will be given the opportunity to comment on the draft minutes of each meeting and to request changes. Final versions of the meeting minutes will be published on the Tax Office website.
Risks and issues management
The chair of the Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG will identify risks and significant issues. The chair will ensure that:
- records associated with risks and issues are appropriately maintained, in accordance with Tax Office procedures
- corporate risks and systemic issues are communicated to relevant key stakeholders in the Tax Office
- risks are appropriately assessed and mitigation strategies implemented as deemed necessary, and
- issues are appropriately escalated, tracked and reported back to members on a regular basis.
Communication procedures
The chair is responsible for communicating views to members and other key stakeholders such as Tax Office staff.
Members will ensure that the secretariat has current contact details and will advise the secretariat of any specific communication requirements.
Payment
To reflect the collaborative nature of the Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG and the partnership between the Tax Office and tax professionals, members will not be paid or reimbursed by the Tax Office for the cost of their time spent attending meetings or attending to Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG issues.
Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG members will not be paid consultancy or sitting fees by the Tax Office.
The Tax Office will arrange and cover the cost of reasonable catering and venue hire for each Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG meeting. Afternoon tea and an optional lunch will generally be provided on the day of a meeting.
Escalation of issues
Where the chair and the majority of members of the Superannuation Technical Sub-group of the NTLG conclude that a matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the chair is responsible for escalating the issue to the parent forum and/or relevant approver. Particularly important intelligence or sensitive issues are also to be escalated.
Conflicts of interest and roles procedures
Conflicts of interest and/or conflicts of roles are to be declared by all members as soon as they arise, in accordance with the Corporate Management Practice Statement - Committee Management.
The chair is responsible for determining the appropriate course of action for dealing with specific conflicts of interest. Depending on the conflict involved, the chair may excuse the member from the meeting for the relevant agenda item, or may take other appropriate action.
Conflicts of roles arise when members represent two different roles, the performance of which may raise perceived or actual conflicts.
Last Modified: Monday, 3 May 2010