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Public notification of the program

Find out how we notify the public about this program.

Last updated 4 February 2021

Notice of our intention to conduct the COVID-19 economic response support 2019–20 to 2020–21 data-matching program was first published in the Federal Register of Legislation gazette on 22 June 2020.

The amendment to this program will be communicated by:

  • publishing a second notice in the Federal Register of Legislation gazette on 9 February 2021
  • publishing this amended data-matching program protocol on our website at ato.gov.au/dmprotocols
  • advising the data providers that they  
    • can notify their clients of their participation in this program
    • should update their privacy policies to note that personal information is disclosed to the ATO for data-matching purposes.

Gazette notice content

The following information about the amended data-matching program will appear as a gazette notice in the Federal Register of Legislation.

Gazette notice: Commissioner of Taxation – Notice of amendment to a data-matching program

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will acquire:

  • confirmation from Services Australia of government payment made to applicants of temporary early access to superannuation for the period of 19 April 2020 to 31 December 2020
  • confirmation from Services Australia of income support payments made to additional employees nominated by applicants for JobMaker Hiring Credit payments for the period of 7 October 2020 to 6 October 2021. Income support payments must have been received for at least 28 consecutive days within the 84 days prior to commencing employment within 7 October 2020 to 6 October 2021
  • details of incarcerated individuals for the period of 1 March 2020 to 6 October 2021 from state and territory correctional facility regulators.

For temporary early access to superannuation the data items include:

  • identification details (names, addresses, dates of birth)
  • these Services Australia transaction details  
    • Government payment/benefit type (JobSeeker payment, parenting payment, special benefit, youth allowance – other than on the basis that the individual was undertaking full-time study or was a new apprentice, farm household allowance)
    • Date granted – including where claim for benefit is made and yet to be commenced
    • Ceased government payment/benefit
    • Date government payment/benefit ceased.

For the JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme the data items include:

  • identification details (names, dates of birth, Request and response transaction IDs)
  • these Services Australia transaction details  
    • Indicator of government income support payments received within the applicable period
    • Type of government income support received (JobSeeker payment, parenting payment, youth allowance – other than on the basis that the individual was undertaking full-time study or was a new apprentice).

State and territory correctional facility regulators data items include:

  • identification details (names, addresses, dates of birth)
  • these incarcerated individuals details  
    • State of incarceration
    • Date of incarceration
    • Expected release date (if available).

The data collected from Services Australia for temporary early access to superannuation is expected to relate to more than three million individuals.

The data collected from Services Australia for JobMaker Hiring Credit payments will relate to the expected 450,000 positions that will be supported through this scheme.

The data collected from the state and territory correctional facility regulators is expected to relate to approximately 100,000 individuals.

The data will be acquired and matched to verify eligibility criteria for:

  • JobKeeper payments
  • temporary early access to superannuation
  • temporary cash flow boost
  • JobMaker Hiring Credit payments.

The objectives of this program are to:

  • ensure the COVID-19 economic response provides timely support to affected workers, business and the broader community
  • undertake verification of applications and identify compliance issues
  • implement treatment strategies to improve voluntary compliance, which may include educational and compliance activities as appropriate
  • identify and educate those individuals and businesses that may be failing to meet their registration and/or lodgment obligations and assist them to comply
  • help ensure that individuals and businesses are fulfilling their tax and superannuation reporting obligations.

A document describing this program is available at ato.gov.au/dmprotocols

This program follows the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s Guidelines on data matching in Australian government administration (2014) (the guidelines). The guidelines include standards for the use of data-matching as an administrative tool in a way that complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and are consistent with good privacy practice.

A full copy of the ATO’s privacy policy can be accessed at ato.gov.au/privacy

End of example

The following information about the data-matching program appeared as a gazette notice in the Federal Register of Legislation on 22 June 2020.

Gazette notice: Commissioner of Taxation – Notice of a data-matching program

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will acquire:

  • confirmation of government payment made to applicants of temporary early access to superannuation for the period of 19 April 2020 to 24 September 2020 from Services Australia
  • details of incarcerated individuals for the period of 1 March 2020 to 27 September 2020 from state and territory correctional facility regulators.

The data items include:

  • identification details (names, addresses, dates of birth)
  • Services Australia transaction details:  
    • Government payment/benefit type (JobSeeker payment, parenting payment, special benefit, youth allowance, farm household allowance).
    • Date granted – including where claim for benefit is made and yet to be commenced
    • Ceased government payment/benefit
    • Date government payment/benefit ceased
  • State and territory correctional facility regulators transaction details:  
    • State of incarceration
    • Date of incarceration
    • Expected release date (if available)

The data collected from Services Australia is expected to relate to three million individuals.

The data collected from the state and territory correctional facility regulators is expected to relate to approximately 45,000 individuals.

The data will be acquired and matched to verify eligibility criteria for:

  • JobKeeper payments
  • temporary early access to superannuation
  • temporary cash flow boost.

The objectives of this program are to:

  • ensure COVID-19 economic response provides timely support to affected workers business and the broader community
  • undertake verification of applications and identify compliance issues
  • implement treatment strategies to improve voluntary compliance, which may include educational and compliance activities as appropriate
  • identify and educate those individuals and businesses who may be failing to meet their registration and/or lodgment obligations and assist them to comply
  • help ensure that individuals and businesses are fulfilling their tax and superannuation reporting obligations

A document describing this program is available at ato.gov.au/dmprotocols

This program follows the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s Guidelines on data matching in Australian government administration (2014) (the guidelines). The guidelines include standards for the use data-matching as an administrative tool in a way that complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and are consistent with good privacy practice.

A full copy of the ATO’s privacy policy can be accessed at ato.gov.au/privacy

End of example

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