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ATO data-matching programs

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The ATO has announced data-matching programs targeting offshore bank accounts, credit and debit card sales and real property transactions. The information collected will be electronically matched with certain sections of ATO data holdings to identify non-compliance with lodgment and payment obligations under taxation law. Details of the programs are as follows:

  • Offshore bank accounts – The ATO says it will request and collect from various financial institutions account details of bank customers to identify Australian resident taxpayers with offshore bank accounts that may evidence undeclared income and/or gains in the 2008–2009 to 2010–2011 financial years. Approximately 50,000 offshore account records will be matched. The program is called the Banking Transparency Strategy Data-Matching Program.

  • Credit and debit card sales – The ATO will request and collect from various banking institutions and credit card companies data relating to credit and debit card sales of entities for the period 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012. Called the Credit and Debit Card Data-Matching Program, the program is designed to enable the ATO to better understand and address the compliance behaviour of taxpayers through electronic bulk data-matching. This will assist in identifying potential ATO administrative action. It is expected that records relating to approximately 900,000 merchants will be matched.

  • Real property – The ATO says it will request and collect names and addresses of individuals and entities transacting with real property. This will be requested from various sources, including state revenue offices, residential tenancy authorities and other government agencies. The ATO aims to address non-compliance with lodgment and debt payment through electronic bulk data-matching to identify potential ATO activity. The ATO says that records relating to approximately 10.4 million individuals will be matched. This program is called the Real Property Data-Matching Program.

Source: Commonwealth Gazette No GN 50, 19 December 2012 [pp 3381-83], www.comlaw.gov.au/Browse/Results/ByYearNumber/Gazettes/Current/GN_50_2012/1

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