TAI PAL is governed by a Board with a maximum of five directors of which three are appointed by the board of directors of Taxpayers Australia Limited and two are elected by the membership. Each board member's term of service is for four years (a two year term will be served by one of the two Board Directors elected in October 2016). No board member may serve more than two consecutive terms (or eight years).
Elected Directors:
Appointed by the Board of Taxpayers Australia Ltd:
Company Secretary:
Ethics Committee
TAI PAL has a suite of governance documents that members and the general public may access:
Members of TAI PAL who hold registrations with the TPB must ensure they comply with the prescribed number of hours. The TPB requires registered agents to ensure they complete the following number of hours per annum:
TAI PAL by-law III (Continuing professional education) outlines the process of completing CPE as a TAI PAL member. You may download the by-law here. There are special rules for people who are not able to complete the prescribed number of CPE hours.
Members of the public may lodge written complaints with TAI PAL concerning the conduct of any accounting professional who is a member of TAI PAL. The complaints will be provided to TAI PAL's company secretary who will contact the complainant and let them know that the written complaint has been received.
The member against whom the complaint has been made will be contacted to notify them of the complaint received and to give them an opportunity to voice their version of events in the lead- up to the lodgement of the complaint. It is then up to TAI PAL to determine if there is a case for the member to answer. A hearing of the ethics committee will be called if it is determined that there is a case to answer. There are a series of potential penalties. The most severe of these is the striking off of a member from the membership list. Members of the public can read more about the complaints procedures in By-Law - II Complaints Process.
It should be noted that TAI PAL is unable to deliberate on disputes such as fees agreed between a client and a practitioner and matters relating to liens over property. Most other issues are able to be heard by the disciplinary committee should an investigation reveal that a TAI PAL member has a case to answer.
Please note that not all registered tax agents will be members of TAI PAL. Any complaints received by TAI PAL against non-member tax agents who are members of other professional bodies will be referred to the appropriate body for action.
In rare instances, the complainant could be referred to the TPB directly should the allegations against a particular registered tax agent be serious.
TAI PAL is obliged under law to publish statistics of the frequency of complaints against members and the types of complaints that have been made. Relevant details are published in The Financial Report for 30 June each year. TAI PAL will also ensure that findings of cases are published as disciplinary hearings are finalised. This practice aids in the transparency of the processes undertaken by TAI PAL.
If you require any further information please contact TAI PAL Administration on (03) 8851 4555 or members@taxandsuperaustralia.com.au