Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury has today announced the appointment and reappointment of members of the Tax Practitioners Board.
Mr Ian Taylor has been appointed as a part-time member and as the part-time Chair of the Tax Practitioners Board, with Mr Peter Whitford, Ms Maria Benardis and Ms Caroline Clarke appointed as part‑time members of the Board.
Ms Cynthia Coleman, Ms Yvonne Sneddon, Mr Matthew Addison, Mr Roger Cotton and Mr Russell Smith have all been reappointed as part-time members of the Board.
The members will be appointed for a three-year period and will start on 22 January 2013.
These appointments will continue the high level of skills and experience available to deal with the range of issues the Tax Practitioners Board faces.
The Tax Practitioners Board replaced the existing State-based Tax Agents Board and is responsible for regulating the provisions of tax agent services, including BAS agent services, across all Australian States and Territories in accordance with the Tax Agent Services Act 2009.
"I would like to congratulate the newly appointed and reappointed members of the Tax Practitioners Board," said Mr Bradbury.
"Their skills and experience will help ensure that the Tax Practitioners Board continues to provide valuable service to the community and I would like to thank all current and previous members for their ongoing commitment."
One of the issues that the new Chair and Board have been asked to examine and report to Government as a matter of priority is that of the broader commercial law requirements for registering as a tax agent. This follows the Government's decision to permanently extend existing transitional rules for certain tax agents who became registered by the Tax Practitioners Board before 1 September 2010. These applicants did not have to complete a commercial law course under old State Board arrangements to register as a tax agent.
Meanwhile, tax agents are encouraged to renew their registrations before 1 March 2013 to ensure their registrations are in effect for a further three years.