The Assistant Treasurer has warned taxpayers of a door-to-door scam operated by people claiming to be consultants from the Tax Office.

Senator Nick Sherry said the bogus consultants ask people to sign up to a supposed Government program promising financial incentives, including a reduction in taxes. The offer is a fraud and  under no circumstances, should anyone give personal information including credit card, banking or super fund details to these people.

“Anyone who has given personal information to an illegitimate source should immediately report it to their credit card provider, bank or super fund,” said Senator Sherry.

Anyone concerned about the legitimacy of the call or identity of a Tax Officer, should call the Tax Office on 13 28 61 and report any suspicious activities.

In a long overdue move, the Federal Government has finally taken steps to simplify the onerous burden of small business reporting requirements. 

It has released new Standard Business Reporting (SBR) taxonomy and tools, so that software developers can begin building programs for their business and accounting systems.

In practical terms, this means that  when the system’s up and running, instead of having to  waste time sending the same or similar information in different formats to each government agency, the number of individual pieces of data businesses have to track , analyse and report will be reduced by 71 per cent.

With many businesses often having to report the same or similar information to 12 Australia, state and territory government agencies, this is a welcome initiative.

Now, if only the Federal Government could show as much attention to the needs of business in its industrial relations, superannuation, reserach and development, funding and childcare policies, it could be onto a winner!

To read the full story, please click here

Shadow Tourism Minister Steven Ciobo has advised herVoice of an issue of serious concern to Australia’stourism industry, which has already been hard hit by the economic downturn.  Tourism Australia’s CEO left in June -  and $40,000 of taxpayers’ money has already been paid over the past nine months to global consultancy Spencer Stuart to locate his replacement.

A  quick search of Hansard by herVoice shows that on 2 June this year, TA advised a hearing of the Economic Legislation Estimates Committee that the contract would continue - at additional expense to taxpayers - until the position was filled.

While herVoice is obviously concerned that TA remains without a permanent leader  to take control of its future direction - and that the recruitment process is continuing to impact on the public coffers; it was the behaviour of TA’s leaders in response to the Estimates questions that has prompted this post.

herVoice regrets to report that rather than recording an attempt to address the Committee’s questions with dignity and respect, Hansard in fact recorded proceedings that were reminiscent of a hybrid of Monty Python and Yes, Minister.

The absolute flurry of bluff and porcupine-passing that the TA chiefs drew upon in their responses made for an impressive performance by all accounts -  but as the leaders of the peak body of a $90 billion a year industry, these people aren’t paid to be comedians or sidesteppers.

herVoice is not unaware of the many political pressures upon agency representatives at Estimates hearings; and the additional  pressure of being held to public scrutiny.  But despite that, she maintains that answering questions in the public interest with integrity is far more important than hiding behind a veil of fluff and buck-passing.

In a  nutshell, strong, independent leadership is needed - and fast - to put our peak tourism body back on track.

Gold Coast Tourism chiefs Paul Donovan and Martin Winter seem equally unimpressed, letting  fly at a House of Representatives committee hearing on the Gold Coast last week, calling for a ‘total overhaul (of TA)  from the top to the bottom’, including a new TA managing director.

After her foray into Hansard this morning, herVoice supports their call.