The Tax Institute has appointed former ATO second commissioner Andrew Mills to be its new director of tax policy and technical.
Mills, who stepped down from his role as ATO second commissioner last year, will commence his position with the Tax Institute on 19 May.
Tax Institute president Peter Godber said: “High-level advocacy is a great asset for members and positioning the Tax Institute as the premier tax professional body requires us to actively engage with key regulator and stakeholder bodies within our tax community with a consistently proactive, targeted and valued voice.
“With a deep understanding of this important role of the Tax Institute, Andrew is the right person to lead our tax policy agenda. He brings widely respected thought leadership to the institute, enabling us to further shape the way we engage with the community on tax policy and tax technical matters. This will cover our engagement with all levels of government, federal Treasury, the ATO and regulatory bodies.
“Our immediate priority remains to address the extraordinary economic challenges our members and their clients are facing right now. We are stronger together and together we will continue to make a difference.”
During his time at the ATO, Mills was responsible for the regulator’s law practice and its role in policy and law design. He also served as president of the Tax Institute from 2006 to 2007 and was previously a governor of the Tax Research Foundation.
He is currently a member of the Australian Executive Committee of the International Fiscal Association and a member of the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute Advisory Board.
“The pressure is on tax practitioners to stay abreast of the rapid shifts and changes to Australia’s legal and regulatory landscape as the Australian government continues its tax reform efforts,” Mills said.
“The Tax Institute is the premier tax body that will amplify the voice of tax professionals, recommend improvements to the tax system and lead the charge to help the tax community navigate through these difficult times.”
