Govt consults on tough new TPB powers

Mike Taylor

Managing Editor and Publisher

13 April 2026

The Federal Government has revealed the degree to which it is toughening up the sanctions regime administered by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) in a new Treasury consultation which includes criminalising actions for unregistered tax preparers.

The Treasury Consultation reveals five new offences covering unregistered preparers:

• providing tax agent services for a fee
• providing BAS services for a fee
• advertising tax agent services • advertising BAS services
• false representation of being a tax or BAS agent

As well, the consultation draft substantially increases the maximum penalty amounts to 2500 penalty units for individuals (up from 25 penalty units) and 50,000 penalty units for bodies corporate and significant global entities (up from 1,250 penalty units).

The changes also envisage the TPB being able to accept enforceable undertakings for compliance with any provision of the Tax Agent Services Act