newsbytes@clarinet.com (02/04/90)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1990 JAN 29 (NB) -- The Australian Taxation Office has on trial a new computer and communications system it claims will reduce the personal income tax return assessment period from 10 to two weeks. The Electronic Transfer Service (ETS) will process about 1.5 million income tax returns at the end of this financial year and is part of the multimillion dollar ATO modernisation program. However, the Australian Society of Accountants (ASA) still has some reservations about ETS despite being in close discussion with the ATO throughout the development of the system. ASA director information and technology, Paul Thewlis, said the Society would prefer to move away from the interactive system to a store-and-forward format, allowing for encryption or coding of key data. "We acknowledge ETS has an enormous potential, but we believe the current system is only a short-term solution. The great danger is that at present, with the interactive system, someone could gain (unauthorized) access to the information." However, for the ETS to process tax returns, the returns will have to be accompanied by a signed paper return as the ATO has not managed to find an electronic counterpart to the personal signature. The ETS was first tested in Adelaide in 1987. In 1988, about 60 tax agents lodged 27,000 returns, and in 1989, the service was extended to Melbourne, with 190 tax agents lodging about 160,000 returns. Tax return data can be transmitted either by floppy disk or via direct data transmission using a modem. However, it can not be done personally but must go through an approved tax agent. Tax agents purchase the appropriate software from a range of suppliers, including CCH, Solution 6, C Data and Paxus, whose products are designed on the specifications of the ATO. Austpac provides the data communication network whereby the tax return data is transmitted from the tax agent to the ATO. Tax returns forwarded via the ETS require a lot less handling, according to a spokesman from the ATO, thus minimizing the assessment period. "Other advantages include immediate acknowledgement by the ATO when it receives the return and the automated process also provides a series of built in checks which results in fewer errors by the agents and the ATO," the spokesman said. (Emma Connors and Computing Australia/19900131) -- This, and all other articles in the clari.nb hierarchy are Copyright 1990 by the Newsbytes Information Service. Only paid subscribers may access these articles. Any unauthorized access, reproduction or transmission is strictly prohibited. We will reward the first provider of information that helps us stop violators of this copyright. Send reports to reward@clarinet.com.