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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (17 February) . . Page.. 300 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

To facilitate the sharing of information between agencies and to ensure that each agency is provided with sufficient time for implementation, a phased implementation schedule has been established. This schedule is in five phases. Phase one is project scoping, planning and identification of GST issues. Phase two is to determine agency business changes required. Phase three will be project implementation. Phase four is about evaluation and testing and phase five is about post-implementation and compliance.

Phase one of this schedule has been completed with agencies having identified the scope of issues associated with the implementation of the GST and developed a work plan to attack these issues. Agencies are now entering into phase two, which is to review existing accounting systems and procedures for accounts receivable and payable and point of sale transactions, identify costing impacts and undertake detailed transaction flow analysis.

As part of the implementation strategy for the Territory, the Department of Treasury and Infrastructure has appointed a consultant team to provide high-level technical advice and assistance on the development and implementation of processes, infrastructure including systems change issues, and training programs. The consultancy team consists of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, KPMG Consulting and ASSIST. We expect that this approach to the provision of advice on GST matters will ensure high-quality, consistent and cost-effective outcomes for the Territory and each agency.

An ACT government GST web site also has been developed. This web site is used constantly to update agencies on answers to the latest GST technical issues specific to government and to provide general GST information. The web site also provides an avenue for agencies to raise GST issues of particular concern to them. The web site also acts as a management tool for the Department of Treasury and Infrastructure. Agencies use the web site regularly to report their progress against particular milestones in each implementation phase. This enables the Department of Treasury and Infrastructure to ensure that GST issues are being addressed in a timely and appropriate manner and that each agency is at an appropriate implementation stage to ensure that they will be GST compliant by 1 July 2000.

A number of general GST information sessions have been arranged for agencies. These include presentations by both the Treasury and the Australian Taxation Office. Similar sessions will continue throughout the implementation process, with more detailed presentations from the ATO and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission being arranged.

To facilitate the sharing of knowledge and resources across jurisdictions, the ACT is a member of an interjurisdictional GST working group. This group comprises representatives from the Commonwealth Department of Finance and Administration and all States and Territories. Representatives from the ATO and the ACCC will also attend this forum as required. Furthermore, the Commissioner of ACT Revenue represents the Territory on the GST administration subcommittee. This committee was established to provide an interjurisdictional monitoring and policy role and provide advice to the ministerial council.

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