Tax agent services legislation

The national tax agent services regime started on 1 March 2010.

A number of changes were brought about by the introduction of the Tax Agent Services Act 2009, such as the:

• newly established national Tax Practitioners Board
• registration and regulation of tax agents and BAS agents
• introduction of safe harbour provisions.

The aim of the Tax Agent Services Act provisions is to ensure the services registered agents (both tax agents and BAS agents) provide to the public are of an appropriate ethical and professional standard.

For more information about the national Tax Practitioners Board (Board), visit their website at www.tpb.gov.au

BAS agents

Under the tax agent services regime, entities providing BAS services must be registered.

For more information about the requirements to become a registered BAS agent, visit the Tax Practitioners Board website at www.tpb.gov.au

Safe harbour

Under the safe harbour provisions, taxpayers are not liable to administrative penalties for either failing to lodge on time, or making false or misleading statements under certain circumstances.

The safe harbour provisions can only apply to:

• a false or misleading statement penalty where the statement is made on or after 1 March 2010
• a failure to lodge on time penalty, where the document has a due date for lodgment of 1 March 2010 or later.

For more information about the safe harbour provisions, refer to: False or misleading statement penalty - no liability (safe harbour) fact sheet Safe harbour from 'failure to lodge on time' penalties.