Today the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) commences community consultation on a suite of draft legislative instruments and accompanying explanatory statements setting out the requirements of the following Board approved courses:

• basic accountancy principles for tax agents 

• commercial law for tax agents 

• Australian taxation law for tax agents 

• basic GST/BAS taxation principles. 

The requirements of these legislative instruments are taken from previously published proposed guidelines and information sheets:

• Course in Australian taxation law approved by the Board

• Course in commercial law approved by the Board

• Course in basic accountancy principles approved by the Board

• Educational qualification requirements for tax practitioners - the mix and match approach to Board approved courses

• Information regarding the assessment aspect and requirements of an approved course in basic GST/BAS taxation principles

• BAS agent educational qualification requirements

• Challenge test criteria for a Board approved course in basic GST/BAS taxation principles

Extensive consultation was conducted when the proposed guidelines were originally published, and the requirements contained in the draft legislative instruments remain unchanged. 

The conversion of these products to legislative instruments will result in legislative status of the Board’s requirements and greater clarity and certainty for tax practitioners, applicants for tax practitioner registration and education providers.

The draft legislative instruments and explanatory statements are available on the TPB website and submissions can be made by 28 July 2020 via email at tpbsubmissions@tpb.gov.au.

About the Tax Practitioners Board

The Tax Practitioners Board regulates tax practitioners in order to protect consumers. The TPB aims to assure the community that tax practitioners meet appropriate standards of professional and ethical conduct. Follow us on Twitter @TPB_gov_au, Facebook and LinkedIn