Joint Open Letter – Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones: Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024

Joint Open Letter

Dear Assistant Treasurer,

Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, CPA Australia, Institute of Public Accountants, The Tax Institute, Australian Bookkeepers Association, Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, Institute of Financial Professionals Australia, Financial Advice Association of Australia, NTAA PLUS and SMSF Association (collectively the Joint Bodies) represent the tax profession as the external members of the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) Governance and Standards Forum (TPGSF).

The Joint Bodies write to you to express our strong concerns about the construct and implications of provisions of the legislative instrument registered on 2 July 2024, the Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024 (the LI). The LI imposes additional obligations on registered tax and BAS agents (tax practitioners) under the Code of Professional Conduct (Code) in section 30-10 of the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 (TASA). This follows the release in December 2023 of an exposure draft of the LI (draft determination) for public consultation.

Joint Open Letter - Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones: Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024