Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced on September 24, 2025 that the government is looking at ways to cut red tape in the Australian taxation system. This comes in the wake of economic reform roundtables held in recent months, aimed at improving productivity and enhancing economic resilience.
Accounting peak body CPA Australia has welcomed this announcement, releasing a statement in support of the review on the same day. CPA Australia has outlined it’s top compliance issues in need of reform, including BAS reporting, fringe benefits tax for small business and technical legislative GST provisions.
“Cutting tax red tape must mean simplifying what’s broken, not adding new layers of complexity,” Says CPA Australia’s Tax Lead Jenny Wong.
“Simplifying BAS reporting and expanding simplified trading stock rules are some steps that would cut compliance costs and free up business owners to focus on running their business. The complexity of Australia’s fringe benefits tax regime is another area ripe for reform. Small businesses should not face the same compliance load as large corporates, yet many currently spend more on FBT record-keeping than on their actual liability. This review also provides an opportunity to fix longstanding technical flaws in GST law that have frustrated businesses and advisers for decades. Addressing unworkable provisions is not tax reform, it is simply making the law function as intended.”
CA ANZ supports review
CA ANZ CEO Ainslie Van Onselen also expressed support for the Board of Taxation review.
“CA ANZ agrees that tax reform is needed to ensure our economy is strong and are advocating for the interim recommendations to take into account other significant tax settings, which affect business investment decisions for significant parts of the economy,” says Van Onselen
“Our members have raised many times over many years, the ever-growing burden on their clients, and their own practices, in complying with tax obligations.”
CA ANZ has announced that they will provide their own recommendations for reducing compliance burdens to the Board of Taxation.
