With Interest

Tax time can add to the stress of small business.

So, to help reduce that worry, this episode is devoted entirely to small business issues for tax time 2026.

With high-level expertise from the ATO's Angela Allen, assistant commissioner responsible for small business experience, in the studio with CPA Australia's tax lead Jenny Wong, explore the most common tax issues affecting small business, and how you can stay compliant.

In this episode, you'll gain valuable information on:

• The most common tax time mistakes made by small businesses

• Why accurate record keeping is still critical for compliance

• The ATO's key focus areas for small business audits and reviews

• How data matching is changing tax reporting and enforcement

• What businesses need to know about Payday Super changes

• How the instant asset write-off applies this financial year

• Why cashflow management is essential for meeting obligations

• The support tools and learning resources available for business owners

• How the ATO is addressing shadow economy activity and tax evasion

• Why early engagement with advisers and the ATO can prevent bigger problems

Tune in now.

Host: Jenny Wong, tax lead, CPA Australia

Guest: Angela Allen, assistant commissioner at the ATO, responsible for small business experience

For more, head to CPA Australia's tax time tools and resources page.

And of course, you can head to the ATO website or you can download the ATO app.

The ATO also has online services and you can go to the ATO website and search verify or report a scam or how to stay scam safe for more information. And you can phone the ATO on 1800 008 540.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts

And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest

INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack

INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud

Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]

Chapters:

00:00 Cash Flow Pressure for Small Businesses and When to Contact the ATO

00:16 Tax Time 2026 Overview with Angela Allen, Australian Taxation Office

01:00 Common Small Business Tax Time Mistakes and Record‑Keeping Errors

02:06 ATO Record‑Keeping Tools: Recordkeeping Evaluation and myDeductions App

02:38 ATO Small Business Compliance Focus Areas for 2026

02:58 ATO Small Business Compliance Risks: Income Reporting, Employer Super Obligations, and Cash‑in‑Hand Payments

04:08 ATO Small Business Tax Time Toolkit and Online Learning Resources

05:27 Managing Cash Flow Stress and Early Engagement with the ATO

05:51 Tax Time 2026 Changes: TPAR Reporting and Pre‑Fill Data

06:37 Instant Asset Write‑Off Rules for Small Businesses

06:56 Payday Super Starting 1 July and Employer Readiness

07:18 Staying Compliant Year‑Round Using Digital Tax Tools

08:15 GST, PAYG Withholding, Superannuation, and Cash Flow Planning

09:05 ATO Priorities on the Shadow Economy and Cash‑in‑Hand Payments

10:26 Episode Wrap‑Up and CPA Australia Resources

#taxtime #smallbusiness #smallbusinesstax #compliance #ATO

Tax time 2026 is upon us.

And in this first episode, unpack the ATO's major focus areas.

Also, for tax agents and taxpayers, gain practical insights ahead of lodgement season.

Key learnings:

• The ATO's biggest priorities for tax time 2026

• Why misinformation and AI-generated advice are growing risks

• Common errors in work-related and car expense claims

• What taxpayers often miss in income reporting

• How to manage work-from-home deductions correctly

• Why accurate record keeping matters more than ever

• What agents should know about trust reporting updates

• How to identify increasingly sophisticated tax scams

• Why trusted advice and official sources are still critical

Tune in now.

Host: Jenny Wong, tax lead, CPA Australia

Guest: Anita Challen, assistant commissioner, ATO.

For more, head to CPA Australia's tax time tools and resources page.

And of course, you can head to the ATO website or you can download the ATO app.

The ATO also has online services and you can go on the ATO website and search verify or report a scam or how to stay scam safe for more information. And you can phone the ATO on 1800 008 540.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts

And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest

INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack

INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud

Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]

Chapters:

00:00 Episode opening

00:14 Introduction to CPA Australia's With Interest podcast Tax Time episode 1

01:01 What is the ATO focusing on this tax time?

02:17 Tax time 2026 updates agents need to know

03:24 ATO toolkits, rental property checklists and trust return pre-fill

04:32 How the ATO is using AI and automation

05:39 The biggest tax mistakes taxpayers still make

06:00 Why record keeping and substantiation matter

07:03 Work-related expenses under ATO scrutiny

07:12 Car expense claims: what you can and cannot claim

08:43 Self-education deductions: what qualifies and what does not

09:24 Working from home deductions: records, rates and receipts

11:07 Income reporting mistakes that trip people up

12:49 Do cash jobs need to be declared?

13:03 Good record keeping habits for tax time

13:59 How to spot tax misinformation online

15:09 Tax scams: warning signs and how to stay safe

16:09 How to verify ATO contact using the ATO app

17:45 Final advice for agents and clients heading into tax time 2026

18:37 Episode wrap-up and key takeaways

In this special Federal Budget 2026–27 episode, hear expert analysis of the measures announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers in last night's budget.

CPA Australia's business and tax policy experts break down what Budget 2026–27 means for the issues that matter most to businesses and Australians.

Analysis and commentary include:

• Overall reaction: Did the budget deliver?

• Who were the winners and losers?

• The tax measures examined, including CGT and negative gearing

• Building wealth and investor confidence analysed

• What the budget means for entrepreneurs

• The impact on businesses, trusts and intergenerational equity

• Revenues and WATO (Working Australians Tax Offset) explained

• Productivity and regulation initiatives assessed

Tune in for a practical, expert-led breakdown of the budget measures announced in Canberra last night and what they could mean for you and the future of business in Australia.

Host: Elinor Kasapidis, chief of policy, Standards and External Affairs Policy, CPA Australia Guests: Gavan Ord, business investment and international lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia, and Jenny Wong, tax lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia.

For more, head to the Federal Budget 2026-27 page on the CPA Australia website, which has comprehensive coverage of last night's announcement, including CPA Australia's pre-budget submission.

And on YouTube later today (May 13), tune into the webinar with CPA Australia's policy experts, who discuss and distil the key announcements from the 2026-27 Australian Federal Budget.

This event will have a 1 CPD-hour learning outcome.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts

And don't forget to subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest

INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack

INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud

Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips

Search for them in your favourite podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]

Tax reform.

It's one of the most hotly debated issues around the world.

And as global tax expert Viva Hammer notes, the biggest barrier to tax reform in Australia is not policy – it is the pursuit of perfection.

In this episode of With Interest, she brings a global perspective shaped by her work on significant tax reforms in recent US history.

Her message is clear: progress comes from doing something better, not waiting for something perfect.

Main learnings include:

• lessons from US tax reform and what Australia can apply

• why "better, not perfect" is critical for improving tax reform

• how predictability drives investment more than headline tax rates

• how to provide certainty for international investors

• the role of GST as a more efficient and sustainable tax base

• the fairness of corporate tax versus consumption and land taxes

• where Australia sits in the global tax competition landscape

As we head toward the 2026 Federal Budget, it's clear that governments, businesses, and the accounting profession are grappling with complex and interconnected challenges – from investment certainty to intergenerational fairness and the future of our tax mix.

This episode is a timely look at a key issue with one of the most respected global voices in tax.

Tune in now.

Host: Jenny Wong, tax lead, CPA Australia

Guest: Viva Hammer, a leading global tax policy expert. Most of her career was spent in the US as partner in New York and Washington law and consulting firms as well as at the US Treasury Department and US Congress. She now brings that international perspective back to Australia.

For more, head to Viva's website.

And don't forget to check out CPA Australia's YouTube channel for the upcoming live Federal Budget 2026 webinar.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts

And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest

INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack

INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud

Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]

Cashflow planning is now critical for small businesses.

In an environment of volatile fuel prices, interest rate uncertainty and upcoming changes to payday super, this episode will help you understand and manage today's cashflow challenges.

Key learnings:

• why cashflow pressure is increasing across small businesses

• how to approach simple, practical cashflow forecasting

• the impact of payday super on cashflow timing and planning

• pricing decisions and their role in protecting margins

• managing supplier and customer payment terms effectively

• when to use financing, overdrafts or alternative funding

• risks of relying on tax liabilities or high-cost lending

• building resilience through relationships and early planning

• the role of accountants, bookkeepers and business owners working together

• how to identify opportunities even in uncertain conditions

Even well-run businesses can face cashflow challenges if these pressures are not actively planned for.

Listen in for an expert-led discussion.

Host: Richard Webb, Superannuation Lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia

Guests: Matthew Addison, Executive Director of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, and Gavan Ord, Business and Investment Lead, CPA Australia.

For more, there's the recent With Interest podcast on how global conflict is shaping energy, supply chains and business strategy.

And CPA Australia's YouTube livestream is on April 29, 2026 (1-2pm AEST). It's called, 'Get ready for pain-free Payday Super'.

More information can be found in the ATO Payday Super guide.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts

And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest

INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack

INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud

Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]

It's a volatile world. Energy security, trade in primary resources and food supply are all reshaping the rules of resilience.

In this timely episode, CPA Australia's experts unpack how global conflict is affecting the operating environment for business, finance and policy leaders.

With the current geopolitical tensions as the backdrop, learn how energy shocks, supply chain disruption and inflation pressures are forcing a rethink of long-term strategy.

CPA Australia's policy leaders lean into what this crisis also means for net zero targets and sustainability.

Key issues examined include:

• how energy chokepoints drive inflation and policy decisions • why lean supply chains are now a structural risk • what resilience really looks like in practice across business and government • the evolving trade-offs between energy security and net zero goals • why sustainability is becoming a core part of national security and business planning

Listen in for expert-led insight.

Host: Elinor Kasapidis, Chief of Policy, Professional Standards and External Affairs, CPA Australia.

Guests: Gavan Ord, Business Investment and International Lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia, and Patrick Viljoen. ESG Lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia.

For more, head to the CPA Australia website for business strategies to help navigate today's uncertain global landscape.

And check out our YouTube live webinar series on the CPA Australia channel, where you'll find a three-part ESG webinar series, as well as our upcoming live webinar for the federal budget.

We also have insights from the small business survey and a range of other interesting webinars coming up.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts

And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career and keep you informed.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest

INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack

INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud

Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]

It's a volatile world, and businesses are under pressure.

In this episode of With Interest, Gavan Ord, Business Investment and International lead at CPA Australia, explores how businesses are navigating an increasingly unstable global environment marked by geopolitical conflict, cost pressures and economic shocks.

The conversation draws on insights from CPA Australia's Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey to unpack how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are coping, and what separates those that merely survive from those that emerge stronger.

The discussion emphasises that while volatility is becoming the norm, uncertainty does not have to result in paralysis.

Instead, thoughtful planning, investment in capability, and trusted advice can help businesses build resilience and position for long‑term growth, even as governments and markets remain focused on short‑term crises.

Key areas covered:

• How global conflicts, fuel price shocks and inflation affect small businesses across Australia and the APAC region.

• How a risk‑averse mindset changes business decision‑making, and the risks of focusing only on cost‑cutting.

• What role accountants and advisors can play through scenario planning, forecasting and calming decision‑making.

• Why businesses that continue investing in technology, innovation and management capability perform better during crises.

If you're navigating uncertainty in business, this episode has expert insights to help.

Host: Elinor Kasapidis, Chief of Policy, Standards and External Affairs, CPA Australia

Guest: Gavan Ord, Business Investment and International lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia

For more, head online for CPA Australia's 17th Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey.

CPA Australia also has tips for managing through tough times and managing through a high cost environment ABC News finance journalist Alan Kohler talking about fluctuating oil prices on April 7, mentioned in this episode. Loving this episode? Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts

And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest

INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack

INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud

Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]

Payday super is one of the most significant payroll changes in years, and businesses need to act now to be ready.

This episode is like a checklist, breaking down what the shift to real-time super payments means in practice, how compliance will work and what employers should be doing before the July deadline.

Key learnings:

• What payday super actually requires beyond more frequent payments

• How the seven-day contribution rule will affect payroll processes

• Why cash flow planning is critical under the new system

• How to prepare payroll systems and work with providers effectively

• The risks of incorrect employee super fund data and how to fix it

• What changes from ordinary time earnings to qualifying earnings mean

• How the ATO will approach compliance in the first year

• Key actions for businesses using clearing houses before they close

• What high-balance super members should consider ahead of new tax rules

If you handle payroll, finance, or business operations, this conversation will help you avoid common pitfalls, as well as help you take practical action before the deadline to avoid disruption and penalties.

Host: Tahn Sharpe, editor, CPA Australia

Guest: Richard Webb, superannuation lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia

For more, head to the ATO Payday Super guide.

CPA Australia also has resources on superannuation.

And this article offers more insight.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts

And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest

INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack

INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud

Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]

(This encore presentation episode was originally published on Dec 9, 2025)

When anti-money laundering (AML) comes to mind, most accountants assume it only applies to large transactions – but that's now changing.

This episode explains new AML obligations for accountants. Specifically, how the reforms to AML and counter terrorism financing (CTF) in 2026 will affect many accounting practices.

You'll gain a clear understanding of what the changes will mean, including which services fall under the new designated services rules, how the regulator AUSTRAC (Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre) will assess compliance and what firms can do now to prepare.

Key learnings include:

• An explanation of the regulator AUSTRAC's role and tranche two reforms to the AML/CTF regime

• The timeline for implementation of these new reforms

• How to identify whether your services qualify as "designated" services

• How to conduct risk assessments

• Why client onboarding and beneficial ownership checks will become more detailed

• What sole practitioners should consider in meeting new compliance obligations

Tune in now for valuable information on this key reform in 2026.

Host: Neville Birthisel, Advisor, Regulations and Standards, CPA Australia

Guest: Adrian Verdnik, Partner and Section Leader, Banking and Financial Services Practice, Hall & Wilcox. His financial services law practice covers superannuation, managed funds, insurance and financial advice.

Learn more about today's episode guest at the Hall & Wilcox website.

AUSTRAC's site has more information on what accountants need to know about AML and CTF reform.

Additionally, CPA Australia's Public Practice My Firm My Future site has further information on AML and CTF obligations for many practitioners in Australia.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting:

With Interest

INTHEBLACK

INTHEBLACK Out Loud

Excel Tips

Search for them in your podcast platform.

Email the podcast team at [email protected]

Disclaimer: All works contained in this podcast are not intended to constitute legal or professional advice and may not reflect the views and opinions of CPA Australia. CPA Australia does not warrant or make representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability or fitness for purpose of this podcast and disclaims all liability and responsibility for any acts or omissions made in reliance of this podcast. Individuals should seek their own independent legal, financial or other advice for their specific circumstances.

In 2026, auditors are working in an environment defined by AI technologies, heightened scrutiny, regulatory oversight and ethics demands.

Which is why it's vital that professionals in audit understand this evolving landscape. Additionally, how the regulator ASIC views key issues and what it is focusing on in 2026.

ASIC commissioner Kate O'Rourke is this episode's special guest and she discusses the evolution of audit and financial oversight at a pivotal time.

This episode explores:

• The biggest forces currently reshaping the audit and assurance landscape in Australia

• The key areas where ASIC expect firms to lift their performance

• The role of digital tools, automation and AI in enhancing audit quality, risk detection, and regulatory oversight

• The safeguards, ethical standards, and governance structure ASIC expects firms to put in place when integrating advanced analytics or AI into audit processes

• Emerging major international trends

• How stronger global alignment could shape the future of Australia's audit framework

• Capabilities that the next generation of auditors need

• How regulators, firms, and professional bodies like CPA Australia can work together to build that future-ready workforce pipeline.

Listen now for expert-led insights from ASIC.

Host: Tiffany Tan, audit and assurance lead, CPA Australia.

Guest: Kate O'Rourke, ASIC commissioner. She previously held senior leadership roles at Treasury and has held executive roles at ASIC overseeing corporate transactions and governance. Kate O'Rourke began her five-year term as an ASIC commissioner in September 2023.

ASIC is Australia's integrated corporate, markets, financial services, and consumer credit regulator. It is an independent Australian government body.

Head to ASIC online for more information on its senior leadership.

Loving this episode?

Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube.

And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.

CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:

With Interest

INTHEBLACK

INTHEBLACK Out Loud

Excel Tips

Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]