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ChangeGPS is encouraging the profession to stand against impending code changes as their petition gains momentum.
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Petition to scrap new code rules hits 1k signatures
17 July 2024
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Accounting software group ChangeGPS has urged the industry to rally together as their petition opposing changes to the tax agent code of conduct reached over 1,000 signatures yesterday.
The new obligations were issued as part of a determination by Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones earlier this month and imposed eight new obligations on tax practitioners from 1 August.
ChangeGPS, part of The Access Group, stressed in a webinar attended by 4,000 viewers that the only way to fight the new obligations was by being strong with opinions and standing together as a profession.
Founder Timothy Munro and chief executive David Boyar urged attendees to sign their Change.org petition calling for urgent action against the “unfair and unworkable rules” introduced in the determination.
“What we want and what we need, is to have this law appealed,” Munro said.
Boyar said signing the petition was a crucial step in joining together to communicate the sector's frustration and rejection of the legislation.
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“We all need to come together and work together,” he said.
“The tax accounting bodies responded to the draft legislation and said there doesn’t seem to be a reason why we need to go through and do all of this,” he said.
As a result, the petition, titled “Stop the Unfair New Tax Rules Affecting Small Accounting Practices”, reached over 1,100 signatures since it was started on Monday.
Munro expressed that his main issue with the legislation was the fact it wouldn’t stop “bad guys” from acting unlawfully.
“These code changes are an absolute waste of time. This is not going to stop the bad guys, because the bad guys won’t be operating by these code changes anyway,” he said.
Boyar quoted a joint statement from the accounting bodies which highlighted how they have all banded together to demonstrate why the legislation is unnecessary.
“There appears to be no discernible policy reason for altering the legislative scheme in these significant ways for a part of the code,” the professional bodies said.
“The code’s core purpose seems to be dislocated and undermined by this approach,” Boyar read.
Both Munro and Boyar agreed that the accounting bodies including CPA and CA ANZ have actively tried to help all accountants fight this legislation, but said they’d like to see them doing more.
“The accounting bodies are trying to have your backs, but the government is ignoring them,” Boyar said.
Munro said: “I just wish the bodies were more on top of this stuff. We’re paying them to be on top of this for us.”
The pair outlined their accolades to the accounting bodies fighting the legislation, yet emphasised they need to be clearer and stronger with their opposing statements.
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