Review of the Tax Issues Entry System

Background

On 22 August 2008, the then Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy & Consumer Affairs released the Tax Design Review Panel’s report Better Tax Design and Implementation . The report made 26 recommendations that proposed significant changes to existing processes for tax design, including the piloting of the Tax Issues Entry System (TIES).

On 20 November 2008, the then Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy & Consumer Affairs announced the launch of the Tax Issues Entry System (TIES) and that he had asked the Board to review the operation of TIES after 12 months.

TIES was launched as an Australian Government initiative jointly managed by the Australian Taxation Office and the Department of the Treasury. TIES provides an opportunity for stakeholders to raise issues relating to the care and maintenance of the Australian Government’s tax and superannuation systems. Further information on TIES can be found on the TIES website.

Review of TIES

Once TIES had been in operation for 12 months, the Board initiated a review of TIES. The Board appointed a Working Group of its members comprising Mr Keith James (Chairman), Mr Dick Warburton AO and Mr Peter Quiggin PSM to oversee the Board’s review of TIES. Additionally, the consultants (Mr Peter Riley and Mr Michael Evans) assisted the Board with the review.

The Board requested written submissions on the review of TIES by 31 May 2010.  All submissions received were acknowledged.

Board’s Report and Government Response

The Board completed its review of the TIES and provided its report to the Assistant Treasurer in October 2010. In preparing its report the Board took into account the various submissions to the review and discussions with stakeholders and its expert panel.

On 6 September 2012, the Assistant Treasurer and Minister Assisting for Deregulation, the Hon David Bradbury MP, announced the release of the Board of Taxation’s report on its review of the Tax Issues Entry System . The Board of Taxation made seven recommendations in its report. The Government noted all of the Board’s recommendations.

In 2016 TIES was replaced with the Board of Taxation’s collaborative space Sounding Board which allows users to submit and also prioritise ideas to improve the tax system. Further information can be found at Sounding Board.

Further information on this review can be obtained from the Board of Taxation Secretariat on (02) 6263 4366 or at Taxboard@treasury.gov.au.

Submissions received