Compliance checks ensure taxpayers benefit

21/09/2016 

• Liberal National Government rewarding good corporate citizens
• Initiative to improve taxation information sharing across government 

The Liberal National Government has launched an initiative to ensure businesses tendering for supply arrangements on Common Use Arrangement (CUA) contracts for whole-of-government projects are compliant with their State taxation obligations.

Finance Minister Bill Marmion said the initiative would ensure businesses which benefited from State Government contracts were good corporate citizens.

"This is about government business units working together to ensure the best outcome for taxpayers," Mr Marmion said.

"Prior to a business being listed to supply to the Government, they will now be checked to ensure all taxation commitments are being met.

"This sharing of information, with the consent of the business applying for Government work, is designed to reduce the risk of the Government contracting with businesses which are not meeting their taxation obligations."

Although in its early stages, the policy change has already demonstrated its effectiveness in managing risk, with an improvement in the payment timeliness of outstanding taxation obligations by suppliers being documented.

"The Liberal National Government is continuing to pilot innovative practices to ensure those businesses paying their fair share of tax and doing the right thing are being rewarded," the Minister said.

The Department of Finance is also exploring the possibility of expanding the program to the building and construction industry, for those businesses tendering for Government work with the Building Management and Works.

Fact File

• The additional clause to allow the transfer of taxation information by the Office of State Revenue under the Taxation Administration Act 2003 has been applied to all CUA tender applications since July 28, 2016
• An extension of screening checks to non-CUA tenders and currently appointed CUA suppliers will also be explored