Tax Office resumes all correspondence with bushfire affected Victorians

Media release 2009/32

The Tax Office today advised that correspondence to bushfire affected areas of Victoria will return to normal from 18 May.

Tax Commissioner Michael D’Ascenzo said the Tax Office is now resuming all correspondence to people and businesses in affected areas.

The Tax Office stopped correspondence and extended due dates for lodgements when the bushfires occurred in February.

“Correspondence may include contacting people about debt and outstanding lodgements,” Mr D’Ascenzo said.

“If you have been affected by the bushfires and receive any correspondence from us that you’re not ready to deal with, please contact us and we’ll make special arrangements for you.

“Similarly, if you are expecting something from us and you haven’t received it please call us on 1300 304 975.”

The Tax Office can also help people and businesses reconstruct financial records destroyed by natural disasters for no fee.

People who want to request assistance can phone our disaster response hotline on 1300 304 975 or register online at www.ato.gov.au/assistancevisit

Other ways the Tax Office can help people in affected areas include:

fast tracking refunds
giving people extra time to pay debts – without interest charges
giving more time to meet activity and other lodgement obligations without penalty
helping them claim tax hardship concessions.

For more information on practical help and assistance in relation to natural disasters visit www.ato.gov.au

Last Modified: Wednesday, 6 May 2009

Relying on our information - our commitment to you

We are committed to providing you with advice and guidance you can rely on, so we make every effort to ensure that what we give you is correct.

If you follow our advice or guidance and it turns out to be incorrect, or it is misleading and you make a mistake as a result, we will take that into account when determining what action, if any, we should take.

Some of the advice and guidance on this website applies to a specific financial year. This is clearly marked. Make sure you have the information for the right year before making decisions based on that information.

If you feel that our advice and guidance does not fully cover your circumstances, or you are unsure how it applies to you, contact us or seek professional advice.

Copyright

This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved.

Requests for further authorisation should be directed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Copyright Law Branch, Attorney-General’s Department, Robert Garran Offices, National Circuit, BARTON ACT 2600 or posted at http://www.ag.gov.au/cca.