Tax officers 'hit the streets' for small business crackdown

Assistant commissioner Tom Wheeler said the ATO has a focus on businesses operating in the cash and hidden economy to ensure fairness for all businesses and the community.

“Our officers will be visiting restaurants and cafés, hair and beauty and other small businesses in Perth and Canberra to make sure their registration details are up to date. These industries are on our radar because they have ready access to cash, and this is a major risk indicator,” Mr Wheeler said.

“Visiting these businesses in person is about helping them to meet their obligations. Through the visits we can quickly identify who needs extra support and make it easier for them to comply.

“We know that the majority of businesses get it right, so our first aim is to help businesses by checking they are properly registered and provide them with an opportunity to ask questions in person.

“We then work to protect honest businesses from unfair competition by taking action against those who do the wrong thing.”

Mr Wheeler said the ATO takes community reports “very seriously.”

“The industries we’re visiting have some of the highest rates of concerns reported to us from across the country,” Mr Wheeler said.

“The visits are part of an ongoing program of work, which is making its way around the country.

“We are taking the time to educate and support small businesses and their representatives who might not know how to meet their obligations. So far we’ve met businesses in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.”