SE QLD RTPWG minutes, April 2009

2. Meeting protocols

Patrice Jenkinson, Director, Tax Practitioner Services outlined the protocols for the Regional Tax Practitioner Working Group meetings including:

• four meetings per year comprising of two face-to-face meetings and two teleconferences,
• Jim Collins, Assistant Commissioner, Intermediaries and Tax Boards Services will chair the meetings,
• Rebecca Benson, Assistant Director, Tax Practitioner Services will provide secretariat support,
• there will be a call for agenda items to all members a few weeks prior to the meeting,
• the final agenda and supporting information where possible will be sent at least one week before the meeting,
• a copy of the agenda will be provided to the ATO Tax Practitioner Forum
• there will be times where members will be provided in-confidence material which is to be treated as such,
• draft minutes will be distributed to members within one to two weeks following meeting, and
• when minutes have been approved they will be published to the Tax Office website www.ato.gov.au

Member asked whether the Tax Office requires the group to sign in-confidence agreements. The chair confirmed that no formal agreement is required at this time and the distribution of in-confidence documents will be based on a high level of trust. This decision may be reviewed in the future.

Sections within Agenda items

• 1. Welcome, housekeeping and introduction
• 2. Meeting protocols
• 3. Regional Tax Practitioner Working Group Charter
• 4. Impact of global financial crisis
• 5. Business consultation website
• 6. Reforms to income tests
• 7. Small business and general business tax break
• 8. Tax agents and self managed superannuation funds - income tax returns
• 9. Pre-filling
• 10. ATPF agenda items
• 11. Other business