The Board of Taxation is looking for ideas that reduce red-tape, result in compliance savings and/or remove ambiguity and uncertainty (e.g. streamlining tax registration thresholds, re-drafting complex provisions to ensure clarity and removing unnecessary sections from tax returns).
Sounding Board is not a forum for substantive tax policy proposals (e.g. altering tax rates, changing the tax mix or removing certain types of taxes altogether) or ideas that would require significant changes to the tax system. However, inevitably some ideas of this nature are advanced by the community and accordingly we have included a category for these policy ideas – which remain matters for Government.
To make it easier to review the ideas that have been contributed by the community and to better manage community expectations, we collect ideas on Sounding Board under one of five categories. As such, like matters can be grouped together and the community can better understand what action may be taken.
| Idea category | Description |
|---|---|
| Sweating the small stuff: typos and slip ups | Care and maintenance suggestions that correct spelling errors, bring provisions in line with drafting conventions, repeal inoperative provisions and update references in the tax law to reflect changes to the names of State and Territory legislation and specifically listed deductible gift recipients. |
| What were they thinking: clarifying the policy | Ideas that require the policy intent be clarified and identifying uncertainty in the application of the law. |
| Too taxing: reducing red tape | Ideas that reduce red-tape and result in compliance savings (e.g. streamlining tax registration thresholds, re-drafting complex provisions to ensure clarity and removing unnecessary sections from tax returns) |
| Can government fix it: policy improvements | Would require a change to government policy. |
| Tell it to the Tax Office: administrative fixes | ATO administrative changes |
We encourage you to submit ideas and offer practical solutions that you think could positively shape the Australian tax regulation landscape. Please view the Sounding Board’s Moderation Policy before submitting.
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How the Board of Taxation uses Sounding Board
The Board values the contributions users make to Sounding Board. Reviewing ideas and discussion on Sounding Board is a standing item on the agenda at every Board of Taxation meeting. The Board of Taxation uses Sounding Board as an important channel from which it can hear directly from the community. Ideas posted on Sounding Board are taken into account in the reviews the Board undertakes and in formulating future projects for the Board.
The Board of Taxation has ongoing discussions with Treasury and the ATO about the ideas raised on Sounding Board to ensure that the tax laws and administration are operating as intended. The Board may post responses or comments on Sounding Board from time to time. However, the absence of a response does not mean the Board is not actively considering the idea.
All submitted ideas are regularly reviewed by the Board of Taxation, with assistance from the Treasury and the Australian Taxation Office.
More information
Please contact the Board of Taxation on taxboard@taxboard.gov.au should you require any further assistance with Sounding Board. Thank you for your contribution.