In November 2008 the Australian Government introduced into Parliament the long awaited Tax Agent Services Bill 2008 (the Bill), the provisions of which are intended to provide a new statutory regime to govern the registration of tax practitioners, and provide oversight of the tax advice industry. The Bill follows the release of two exposure drafts and wide consultation with professional associations, practitioners and industry. In this paper, Cynthia Coleman and Rodney Fisher provide an outline of the approach taken in the Bill, noting those areas where there has been a change in the legislative approach following previous submissions and consultation on the exposure drafts, and highlighting those areas of the Bill which may still prove contentious
