Accountants optimistic after “critical” meeting with ATO over small business tax agent overhaul

Professional accounting groups are optimistic the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will continue to refine its new tax agent-linking system, after industry representatives said its six-step registration process could pose a significant challenge to small business clients.

Representatives of CPA Australia, the Institute of Public Accountants, and other industry leaders met with ATO officials on Thursday to discuss the tax office’s new client-to-agent process, a digital upgrade to existing verification systems.

Modernising the client-to-agent linking process will add another layer of security to the tax system, says the ATO, which claims to receive more than 3 million cyber attack attempts each month.