By Hugh Walsh, Partner of Walshs
Access to the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) online portal using AUSkey will no longer be offered from 1st April, meaning any business which uses this system needs to implement some simple changes before this date to reduce disruption to the business.
Future access to the online portal will only be available using an individual myGovID and Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) which must be established before 31 March 2020.
AUSkey has been the system used for businesses to “access and send business information to government online”, the Australian Business Registrar (ABR) explained.
“For example, changing your Australian business number (ABN) details to lodging your business activity statement (BAS),” the ABR continued.
The myGovID system provides an easy way to prove who you are online, allowing business information to be securely submitted to the government. It is important to note the myGovID is not the same as a myGov account which is available to individuals submitting information to government.
What you need to know about the myGovID system:
- It replaces the AUSkey system from 1 April 2020
- It is available now and should be accessed before the 31 March deadline to ensure no disruption to the business
- It cannot be accessed by a desktop computer and is only available via smart devices such as phones, tablets and laptops
- Each individual user for a business must have their own unique myGovID with no communal IDs available
- You must provide 100 points of identification to register for a myGovID
- Individuals are able to access the ATO portal for a business using their myGovID and the business’s RAM system
- Importing existing AUSkey users to the new RAM system can be done until 31 March 2020
The onus for ensuring the new myGovID and RAM systems are in place, falls to the “principal authority” of a business, that is an owner or associate listed on the ABR. They are required to establish a myGovID and then a RAM to link this to the business’s ABN.
Once this is done, the principal authority is able to nominate who will be authorised in RAM to have access to the system to lodge information on behalf of the business.
It must also be noted that any practice which operates under a trust structure must wait until mid-March to be able to link their myGovID to their ABN in the RAM system. However, there are provisions in place to allow this to happen earlier through direct contact with the ATO.
While it may seem a complicated and time-consuming exercise, it is essential businesses address this change before 31 March 2020. If you need help or guidance through this process, contact us.
Feel free to contact me if you would like us to assist or if you have further questions on 07 32215677 or email hugh@walshs.com.au.
