More than 100,000 lodgements have been received through the new Standard Business Reporting (SBR) system since the beginning of July, about nine times the number of lodgements for the same period in 2011.
Under SBR, Australian businesses are able to use SBR-enabled software to prepare and lodge key government forms directly from their software to agencies participating in the SBR program.
"Standard Business Reporting helps to drive productivity by removing unnecessary or duplicated data in business reporting obligations," Assistant Treasurer, David Bradbury, said.
"Under the SBR system, businesses can use a single secure log on (AUSkey) when sending reports to agencies and business to government reporting requirements are streamlined.
"SBR makes it simpler, easier and faster for businesses to meet their reporting obligations."
Minister for Small Business, Brendan O'Connor, said the recent surge in SBR take-up shows the Gillard's Government's efforts to make it easier for businesses to report to Government are working.
"The Gillard Government is committed to creating the environment in which businesses not only survive, they thrive," Mr O'Connor said.
"The Gillard Government is committed to reducing the compliance costs of dealing with government agencies. SBR allows small businesses to significantly cut the time involved in submitting forms, and time is money.
"Australian businesses can use SBR-enabled software to prepare and lodge key government forms directly from their software to government agencies using a single secure log on called an AUSkey.
"There has been a steady increase in the numbers of AUSkeys with a 49 per cent increase from 521,000 active AUSkeys in September 2011 to about 782,000.
"The number of AUSkey authentications performed has grown significantly in the past year from 2.8 million per month to a peak of nearly 4.4 million in August 2012."
Standard Business Reporting is one of the deregulation reforms implemented under the Seamless National Economy agenda.
"SBR is a practical example of how we are helping to cut red tape for Australian business," Senator Wong said.
"This is part of the Australian Government's plan to improve productivity by reducing the reporting burden on business."
The Business Advisory Forum Taskforce will also be reporting to COAG in early December on ways in which the increased use of online reporting can benefit business.
"Work is underway to identify opportunities for the expansion of SBR to other areas of reporting beyond the financial and payroll reporting currently in scope," Senator Wong said.
For more information about Standard Business Reporting, visit www.sbr.gov.au.