Safe harbour

A taxpayer who uses a tax agent or BAS agent will benefit from a safe harbour from certain administrative penalties in certain circumstances. Penalties will no longer apply:

• where a false or misleading statement is made carelessly, provided the taxpayer has taken reasonable care to comply with their tax obligations by giving their tax agent or BAS agent the information necessary to make the statement, and
• where a document (such as a return, notice or statement) is not lodged on time in the approved form due to the tax agent’s or BAS agent’s carelessness, provided the taxpayer gave the agent the necessary information, in sufficient time, to lodge the document on time and in the approved form.

 Further detail is contained in the information sheet Safe harbour provisions and the Code of Professional Conduct.