ATO mobile business visits

Australian Taxation Office (ATO) information sessions for small business

The ATO will be conducting mobile business visits around Australia as part of our strike team approach to protect honest businesses from unfair competition by addressing black economy activities. There will be a focus on providing education and assistance to businesses that need it to help them get back on track.

Throughout November, the ATO will be visiting businesses in the Geelong area of Victoria, the Caloundra area of Queensland and the Alice Springs area of Northern Territory.

Up and coming information sessions:

GEELONG, VIC
Date: Monday 12 November
Time:

Mobile business visits information session at 10.00–11.00am
Mobile business visits information session at 1.00–2.00pm
Record keeping information session at 2.00–3.00pm
Mobile business visits information session at 6.00–7.00pm.

Where: Rydges Geelong Gheringhap Street, Geelong, VIC 3220.

CALOUNDRA, QLD
Date: Wednesday 21 November
Time:

Mobile business visits information session at 10.00am–11.00am
Record keeping information session at 11.15am–12.15pm
Mobile business visits information session at 5.30pm–6.30pm.

Where: Caloundra RSL 19 West Terrace, Caloundra, QLD 4551

ALICE SPRINGS, NT
Date: Monday 26 November
Time:

Mobile business visits information session at 5.30pm–6.30pm
Record keeping information session at 6.45pm–7.45pm.

Where: Central Australia Development Office Shop 55 Todd Mall, Alice Springs, NT 0870.

Visiting business

The ATO mobile business visits are part of their strike team approach to protect honest businesses from unfair competition by addressing black economy activities. The ATO will work with business and industry associations along with local authorities like chambers of commerce and councils.

They will be talking to businesses about:

record keeping and payment facilities, registrations, outstanding lodgments, tax debts, and employer obligations such as superannuation
how to fix mistakes
the benefits of electronic record keeping and payment methods
ATO tools and assistance products available for them
any other help they may need.

The areas the ATO are visiting are considered to be high risk. This could include:

unreported or misrepresented sales
omitting income, including missing payments and online transactions
discrepancies between activity statements and tax returns
businesses that are operating outside the tax system
when lifestyle and assets don't match up, like owning property and vehicles that they would need much higher incomes to cover
businesses reporting outside of the business benchmarks.

If your business needs or asks for help, the ATO will help you get back on track as well as show you the ATO tools and information available. However, if the ATO are concerned that a business is deliberately doing the wrong thing, they will investigate further and take any necessary action.

To find out more about the ATO's visits, please go to ato.gov.au/protectinghonestbusiness or email workingwithindustry@ato.gov.au