GST Assistance Extended to February

Small and medium enterprises, community and education (SMECE) groups and individuals can continue to access GST start-up assistance until the end of February 2001.

The extension of key programs delivered by the GST Start-Up Assistance Office follows strong support from across the SMECE sectors, Chris Jordan, Chairman of The New Tax System Advisory Board announced today. The extension will allow organisations to access assistance with the lodgement of the second quarterly Business Activity Statement (BAS), due on 4 February 2001.

The program extension allows continuing access to:

• the GST Assist Helpline 13 30 88,

• the GST website www.gststartup.gov.au,

• publications (including for the ethnic and indigenous communities), and

• regional and rural GST Signpost Officers.

Chris Jordan said the GST start-up assistance programs for the SMECE sectors had proved vital to the smooth transition to The New Tax System.

"The response from small business, community and education bodies and individuals to this assistance has been fantastic," Mr Jordan said.

"Since the beginning of the year there has been more than 750,000 calls to GST Assist on 13 30 88, approximately 10 million publications distributed, more than 265,000 hits to the website and GST Signpost Officers have made more than 38,000 public contacts from April this year. In addition, small business were provided with $200 GST Certificates to ease the transition to The New Tax System and the workshop program delivered more than 19,500 courses to more than 1¼ million participants," Mr Jordan said.

The continuing GST start-up assistance complements ongoing taxation advice available from the Australian Taxation Office, and was welcomed by key industry bodies, including the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) and The Salvation Army.

Ian McDonald, Major Projects Manager, QCCI said continuing GST start-up assistance is important to the business sector, particularly with the second quarterly BAS due on 4 February.

"Since its inception the GST start-up assistance program has been a most successful and rewarding enterprise for Queensland business," Mr McDonald said.

Mr Ted Crameri, GST Consultant to The Salvation Army, said assistance towards completing the BAS was most welcome.

"This assistance does much to relieve any concern the community sector feels about the BAS, and having the assistance continue to the end of February is a godsend," Mr Crameri said.

Media contact: Anita Shooks, The New Tax System Advisory Board on (02) 6216 2318 or 0407 406 765