Modernising Business Registers Business Advisory Group 5 April 2022

Welcome and introductions

Chair, Assistant Commissioner Georgina Wade opened the meeting and welcomed attendees. No conflicts were declared.

Following an expression of interest, the forum’s membership was refreshed.

Terms of reference and a new member starter pack were included with papers for noting, and members were reminded of the mailbox, MBREngagement@ato.gov.auThis link opens in a new window

Georgina welcomed new and returning members and thanked returning members for their ongoing commitment. Each member provided a brief introduction.

Program update

Georgina Wade provided a Program update.

Director ID

Tammy Gardner provided an update on director identification numbers

On the 31 March, director ID moved from public beta phase to ‘go live’ following robust testing. To date:

• approximately 400,000 director IDs have been issued
• letters have been issued to support awareness to
  • non-compliant new directors
  • agents of non-compliant directors, with support materials.
   

Continuing to consult with stewardship groups within the ATO and externally with industry bodies to raise awareness and provide support.

Have now moved into the second transition phase, from 5 April, requires any new director to have a director ID before being appointed as a director.

Members were asked how they would like director ID to continue to be involved in the forum, and what they would be interested in hearing about in the future. Members were advised that they would continue to be engaged as work progresses.

Members expressed an interest in remaining involved in director ID, especially to support the ongoing onboarding activities. Members were invited, and accepted the offer, to provide feedback on the correspondence items being issued to non-compliant new directors and their agents.

Updated white label communications pack and correspondence items will be shared with members following the meeting.

Action item update

An action item update was provided.

Law and policy update

Focus on drafting the data standards, public consultation will be undertaken, and the first package will consider data standard that covers:

• registration of corporate entities
• maintenance activities
• general lodgment or notification.

Treasury provided an update on the recent Budget announcement regarding the removal of some registry fees when the new platform is ready, September 2023. Fees include:

• late review fee
• several life cycle fees
• retail search fees, searches conducted directly via the website.

ABRS modernisation framework – moments that matter

Danielle Breckon provided an overview of the Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS) modernisation framework. Key points include:

• six modernisation strategies
• thirty ‘moments that matter’ aligned to the six modernisation strategies, and are defined by selection criteria
  • new service offering
  • high volume transactions
  • high risk
  • new technology
   
• role of intermediaries, valued enablers.

Karen Redhead advised insulation principles to protect registry data means information cannot always be shared between tax, super and registry systems.

Feedback will be considered through the ability to create and use notifications.

Companies release update

Eleanor Beer provided an intermediaries experience update. This included outcomes from recent engagements and a high-level view of planned engagements, priorities, and topic planning. This view will continue to be shared with members to support transparency and visibility.

Tim Matthews provided an early insight into the retail screen for change to company details services, Australian Securities and Investments Commission form 484.

A form to service listing was shared with members. Members were advised this list is constantly evolving and includes current forms that exist, what they are intended to be mapped to in future services, and those with current application program interfaces.

Members were advised feedback is welcomed and would be reviewed with consideration to budget and scope.

Business inbox update

High level scope includes a single business inbox for registry tax and super correspondence onboarding for Companies release, with other government agencies considered for future onboarding. Being a whole of government infrastructure, myGovID and Relationship Authorisation Manager will be used as the authentication and authorisation solution.

The Business inbox discovery process took a whole-of-government focus and considered a number of business and intermediary types, different roles and various business sizes. A key insight highlighted by businesses was the value of a single inbox to received correspondence from multiple agencies, creating more connected and streamlined services.

Work is currently in a design phase. A co-design session is planned to be held with members at the May meeting.

Wrap and close

Members were advised an expression of interest to attend a consultation session on the ABRS compliance framework will be issued.

Georgina Wade thanked members and attendees for their contributions.