Source: New places to play in Gungahlin
We welcome action taken by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) to terminate the registration of Sydney-based tax agent William GageExternal Link, following the identification of fraud and misconduct during ATO and TPB investigations.
The process that led to Mr Gage’s deregistration followed an examination of his affairs by the ATO Wealth Program. This uncovered a key element of Mr Gage’s fraud – an altered receipt for falsely claiming a personal tax deduction.
Speaking about the case, Chair of the TPB, Peter de Cure AM, commented, “The integrity of the tax profession relies on tax practitioners upholding the highest ethical standards, and this case demonstrates the TPB’s commitment to taking decisive action against those who fail to do so. Mr Gage’s misconduct spanned many years and undermined public confidence, making his deregistration a necessary step in maintaining trust in the system.”
The subsequent TPB investigation confirmed misconduct committed by Mr Gage, which included false claims of rental deductions and losses, and failure to submit multiple tax returns and business activity statements for associated entities.
The Wealth Program is an important initiative under the Tax Avoidance Taskforce. It investigates privately owned and wealthy groups, and their advisers, that are deliberately and persistently avoiding tax obligations.
The program regularly engages early with other regulatory bodies, such as the TPB, to enable timely action to address misconduct.
ATO Assistant Commissioner for the Wealth Program, Sarah Taylor, said:
“This outcome is an example of the tax system working effectively to identify and take action on non-compliance. Cross-agency collaboration has contributed to decisive action on wrongdoing.”
Peter de Cure AM commented, “Tax practitioners hold a trusted position in the community. They must meet the highest standards of integrity and compliance in how they meet their own tax obligations. Most tax practitioners will welcome this result as such behaviour undermines trust in their profession.”
For more information on the Wealth Program and its role in supporting tax compliance, visit Wealth Program tackling serious tax avoidance.