The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Chris Bowen MP, today announced that the operation of the Taxation Test Case Funding Review Panel would be discontinued.
Discontinuing the Taxation Test Case Funding Review Panel (the Review Panel) will remove administrative duplication and bring the review rights associated with tax test case funding into line with those available under other government test case funding programs.
The Government considers the process used by the Litigation Panel to be sufficiently independent and robust. The Litigation Panel comprises six members, four of whom are external to the ATO. Taxpayers will be able to apply to the ATO for review of a decision to decline test case funding.
The Review Panel will finalise applications received prior to Budget day.
Further information on the ATO Test Case Litigation Program can be found on the ATO website at: http://www.ato.gov.au/corporate/content.asp?doc=/content/57395.htm.
Contact: James Cullen - 0409 719 879