Contractor payments undergo ATO data-matching

The ATO has announced details of its proposed data-matching program, under which it will request and collect information in relation to payments made to contractors for the 2009–2010 to the 2011–2012 income years by businesses audited by the ATO employer obligations area. Data will also be collected from businesses being audited by the ATO employer obligations area in 2012–2013.

The collected information will be electronically matched with certain sections of ATO data holdings to identify non-compliance with lodgment and reporting obligations under taxation law. Records relating to approximately 75,000 individuals and entities who have received contract payments from the employers or businesses will be matched.

A document describing this program has been prepared in consultation with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. A copy of this document is available from: Contractor payments Data Matching Program, Australian Taxation Office, GPO Box 9977, Perth WA 6848; email: nick.petrie@ato.gov.au; phone: (08) 9268 5433.

Source: Commonwealth Gazette No GN 39, 3 October 2012 [p 2618], www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2012G00030