Auditor general finds jobkeeper scheme effective despite ‘shortcomings’ in compliance checks

An audit has identified ‘shortcomings’ in compliance checks for the jobkeeper program, although the ATO has been deemed effective in its delivery of the scheme. Photograph: Julian Smith/AAP

The auditor general has identified “shortcomings” in compliance checks for the jobkeeper program, including in relation to one company deemed eligible and pocketing $360,000 despite more than doubling its revenue, but found the Australian Taxation Office was effective in its delivery of the jobkeeper program.

The audit of the the $89bn wage subsidy program raised compliance issues including accepting companies’ assertions about how they calculated turnover and in 15 cases failing to obtain evidence the subsidies had been paid to employees.