Release: Sukkar plan gives ATO even more power to hurt small business

Release: Sukkar plan gives ATO even more power to hurt small business

The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance, the nation’s largest grassroots advocacy group representing all taxpayers, strongly opposes the “Sukkar plan” which gives the ATO free rein to attack small businesses.

“The ‘Sukkar plan’ gives the ATO broad and indeterminate powers to dictate a business’ GST then indiscriminately holds company directors personally liable for supposed lapses. The ‘Sukkar plan’ shoots the Australian economy in the foot.” Say ATA Communications Manager, Emilie Dye. “Small businesses hold up the economy and yet they remain the ATO’s favorite target.”

“Small business owners risk everything to start a new business. But wait, the government can always make taxpayers’ lives riskier. The ATO can now hold business directors personally liable without proof of guilt.

“Rather than giving the ATO more power, it is time the Morrison government overalls the culture at the ATO. The ATO treats businesses owners as liars and cheats putting them on the legal rack to prove their innocence. 

“The Sukkar plan, containing 60 pages and 20,000 words in just the first chapter, fails to clearly outline the ATO’s powers. This allows way too much leeway and undermines the ability of businesses to question our fight back against the ATO’s sloppy calculations.

“The ATO can now, under the “Sukkar plan”, dream up any GST at their discretion dropping the bill in the laps of small businesses.

“Small businesses find themselves in a particularly dangerous situation as they are too small to remain viable and fight the unfair tax fraud accusations, but big enough the ATO finds it worth their time to attack. 

“The Morrison government should abolish the “Sukkar plan” and instead write a plan that checks the ATO’s powers.

“It is time we gave back basic rights to business owners instead of running a government body like the Spanish inquisition. Small businesses do so much for the Australian economy. The government should work to reduce the risk of doing business, not increase it.”