ATO, Fair Work and Payroll Tax Audit Support
An audit letter is not the moment to discover your records don’t hold up. We’ve supported clients through ATO, Fair Work, GST, payroll tax, WorkCover and WGEA audits, plus TPAR and PLSL reporting obligations - responding properly when scrutiny arrives, and building the record-keeping that means the next time is boring.
Sound familiar?
- A review or audit letter has arrived and the clock is ticking
- You genuinely don’t know if your records would survive scrutiny
- Payroll tax registration is a “we should look into that” item
- Past compliance shortcuts are starting to feel like liabilities
All fixable. Most of it faster than you’d think.
What our compliance work covers
Audit and review response
Managing information requests, preparing reconciliations and evidence, and dealing with the regulator methodically - ATO, Fair Work, the State Revenue Office, WorkCover and others.
Voluntary disclosure and remediation
When something is wrong, coming forward properly usually beats being found. We quantify the issue, fix the records and manage the disclosure.
Compliance health checks
A pre-emptive review of GST coding, payroll setup, super, payroll tax exposure and record-keeping - the audit you run on yourself, on your own terms.
Payroll tax assessment
Grouping rules, contractor provisions and thresholds reviewed across every state you employ in, so payroll tax never arrives as a surprise assessment with interest attached.
Governance and record systems
Document retention, approval controls and QMS-aligned processes sized for a small business - enough structure to be safe, not so much it strangles you.
Why NJM&Co for compliance
- First-hand experience supporting clients through ATO, Fair Work, GST, payroll tax, WorkCover and WGEA audits, plus TPAR and PLSL reporting
- Clients who are independently audited every year for their financial services licence
- Registered BAS Agent standing to deal with the ATO on your behalf
- Governance and QMS-aligned systems background - structure without bureaucracy
- Calm, methodical and honest about what a regulator will and won’t accept
- Prevention priced in: every engagement ends with your records stronger
Common questions
I’ve received an ATO review letter. What should I do first?
Don’t ignore it, and don’t fire off a quick reply. Note the response deadline, gather what was asked for - and get an experienced agent across it before anything goes back. Early, well-prepared responses shape the whole review.
What triggers an ATO or payroll tax audit?
Common triggers include late or inconsistent lodgements, BAS figures that don’t match income tax returns or STP data, industry benchmarks, employee complaints (for Fair Work), and data-matching. Clean, consistent lodgement history is the best prevention.
Do I need to worry about payroll tax?
Possibly, and sooner than many expect. Payroll tax is a state tax: every state and territory sets its own thresholds, rates and registration triggers, but they all count your total Australian wages, with super and many contractor payments included and grouping rules combining related businesses. It’s also not just about where your business sits: an employee working in another state generally means registering in that state too. Most states can require registration from a single month over their monthly threshold, not just the annual one. If you employ across borders or are anywhere near a threshold, a quick review beats a back-assessment with penalties and interest.
What is a WorkCover audit?
WorkCover premiums are based on the remuneration you declare, which includes wages, super and some contractor payments. A WorkCover audit compares that declaration against your actual books, and under-declaring leads to back-premiums and penalties. We reconcile your declared remuneration to the payroll records so the two always agree.
What is TPAR?
TPAR is the Taxable Payments Annual Report, an annual obligation for businesses in industries such as building and construction, cleaning, couriers, IT and security to report their contractor payments to the ATO. The ATO data-matches those reports against what contractors declare, so a late, missing or unreconciled report attracts attention. We prepare and lodge TPARs from properly coded books, so the numbers match by construction.
What is PLSL reporting?
Portable long service leave schemes cover industries such as community services, contract cleaning and security, where workers carry long service entitlements between employers. Employers must register, lodge regular returns and pay a levy, and the schemes check that every eligible worker and their hours are reported correctly. We keep the payroll records that make those returns straightforward.
What is WGEA reporting?
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency requires private employers with 100 or more employees to report annually on gender composition and pay. Reviews test whether the payroll data behind the report is accurate and complete. We make sure the records the report draws on are right in the first place.
Can you fix problems from before we became clients?
Yes. Historical cleanup and voluntary disclosure work is a normal part of what we do. We quantify the exposure honestly, fix the records, and manage the conversation with the regulator.
Often paired with
BAS Agent
BAS prepared, reviewed and lodged by a Registered BAS Agent - with the lodgement extensions and ATO standing that come with it.
Payroll
Wages, super, STP and Fair Work obligations handled correctly, every pay run - before problems become back-pay bills.
Bookkeeping
Accurate, up-to-date books that keep you compliant, informed and off the back foot - weekly, monthly or rescue jobs.
Want to face any audit with confidence?
Start with a free chat with Nicolette - no obligation, no judgement.