…so we collect what's rightfully due.
We aspire to a future where paying tax is natural and timely, debts don’t accrue and intervention is needed far less often.
Today, end-of-period reporting means tax is often due long after income is earned. While regular instalments can help, they aren’t always enough to keep people on track. Most taxpayers pay on time, but across the system too many payments of income tax, employee superannuation, GST and other taxes are late or missed. Over time, insufficient withholding and late payments compound, leading to debts that quickly become unmanageable.
Our focus is on strengthening payment performance in sustainable ways, making on‑time payment the norm, protecting employee entitlements and reducing taxpayers’ compliance costs and avoidable debt before they start. This is a shift from managing debt after it arises to designing payment and reporting settings that help people stay on track from the start.
We’re lifting payment performance
We’ll make it easier to understand what’s owed, when it’s due, and how to meet those obligations, through real-time visibility of tax positions and aligning payments and reporting settings more closely with economic activity.
With payments and reporting together and timely support where needed, taxpayers will be supported to stay on track and plan with confidence, reducing follow-up and avoidable compliance effort. Businesses can trust they’re meeting their obligations, and employees can trust their entitlements are paid.
As more taxpayers pay the right amount at the right time, the system becomes more sustainable and strengthens Australia’s tax base, supporting essential services.
Shifts in action
2.1 Aligning tax payments to taxable events
by bringing reporting and payment settings closer to real time – so debts don’t accrue and businesses have earlier visibility of their cash flow.
2.2 Assuring compliance in real time
by verifying and validating taxpayer positions, and eligibility from registration – so errors and overclaiming are avoided.
2.3 Exploring earlier collection points
using every interaction, intervention and insight – so tax is collected sooner in ways that remain fair.
We are shifting from delayed and non-payment leading to ballooning debt, to reporting and payments aligned with economic activity, resulting in a fairer system where everyone pays their share.