The ATO is developing new online services systems as AUSKey will be retired in March 2020
Replacing AUSKey will be myGovID and Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM).
MyGovID is an authentication service that will allow individuals to prove who they are online. This system will work by establishing your identity once online and then using your myGovID credentials to access government services you need online.
Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) is an authorisation service that allows you to link your myGovID to an ABN, managing authorisations across government services, for businesses and their staff. RAM gives you the ability to add multiple businesses, access the business portal on behalf of multiple businesses, modify authorisations, customise and delegate the level of business authorisation for employees and nominate who can act on behalf of your practice.
MyGovID and RAM are currently available in a public beta for eligible businesses to access the ATO Business Portal and will soon be available for online services for agents. AUSkey can still be used to access online ATO services while myGovID and RAM are being developed.
The ATO advises that in preparation for the changes you check your ABN details are up-to-date in the Australian Business Register (ABR).
Whether you are a newcomer to the workforce or have been working full time for 30 years, you must have come across the concept of superannuation. Chances are, you’ve already been steadily building your retirement funds in one of the 500 Australian superannuation funds but are still unfamiliar with how exactly your super is being managed and where your super fund is investing your money in.
With the beginning of a new decade and social issues on the rise, it is time to take a more conscious stance on what you are doing with your super and what causes you are supporting through the employment of your money through your super fund.
A recent investigation into Australian super funds by the Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR), released in February 2020, found that 50 of the largest super funds in Australia are proxy voting against local climate-change initiatives. These organisations are instead approaching climate change from a global perspective, whilst ignoring more pressing domestic challenges to reduce carbon emissions..
The lack of support from Australian super funds for localised climate action is growing problematic, as Australia fails to address its appalling record on carbon emissions and is falling behind new-age global goals to fight against environmental degradation and climate change.
In contrast, some of Australia’s most environmentally and socially conscious super funds lack the reputation to attract long-term users. To look for more environmentally friendly Australian super funds, the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) grades supers based on their ethical contributions and makes this information available to the public.
Instead of mindlessly joining Australian super funds that are neglecting growingly problematic domestic climate change issues, Australians need to become more conscious of our indirect actions and super investments. Rather than investing in an unethical super fund, looking into self-managed super funds may be another good option. We need to learn to take matters into our own hands and become more socially conscious of where exactly our money goes.
