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The ATO is set to visit just under 1,000 small businesses in Melbourne and Sydney as it acts on community tip-offs on potential black economy behaviour.
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Hornsby, Healesville businesses next up for ATO visits
22 August 2019
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9 minute read
Around 400 businesses in Healesville, Victoria, and 500 businesses in Hornsby, New South Wales, have been marked out by the ATO for a planned visit in August and September.
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These visits are part of the 10,000 businesses that the ATO is hoping to visit each year over the next four years as part of its new strategy to target the black economy.
For businesses in Healesville, the Tax Office will be looking to act on community tip-offs that have suggested that certain industries like the building and construction industry are gaining an unfair competitive edge over their honest competitors.
“People from the Healesville area have told us about some building and construction businesses getting an unfair advantage over their honest competitors by not playing by the rules. Community reports from the area have alerted us about sham contracting, underpayments and paying wages in cash, all of which are signs of black economy activities,” ATO assistant commissioner Peter Holt said.
“We take non-compliance of employer obligations seriously and are committed to do the right thing for honest businesses in the area by identifying those who are engaging in black economy practices and ensure a level playing field.
“Some business may use the cash payments to hide income and not meet other obligations; for example, paying cash wages without keeping records, not declaring cash sales, not recording some sales and other activities to avoid their tax and super obligations.”
Businesses in Hornsby can expect visits to cover topics including super and PAYG tax withholding obligations, Mr Holt said.
“Another reason we’re heading to Hornsby is because we know that these local visits give us an opportunity for one-on-one education with businesses about the tools and information they need to correctly register, lodge on time, maintain accurate business records and correct any mistakes,” he added.
As part of the visits, ATO officers will be providing information about recent changes, such as Single Touch Payroll and the extension of the taxable payments reporting system to certain industries.
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