Issued: 1 February 2024
Last modified: 1 February 2024
Your mental health and wellbeing are important and we recognise that it can affect you and your practice in many ways, including when it comes to compliance with your obligations under the Code of Professional Conduct.
Where possible, we will endeavour to support you if your mental health impacts your ability to run your practice effectively and compliantly.
Let us know of your circumstances
During the course of any enquiry or investigation into your conduct, we encourage you to advise us if there are any mental health circumstances that are relevant to the enquiry or investigation.
When advising us of your mental health circumstances, we recommend you provide medical evidence from a treating medical practitioner, specialist or clinical psychologist that provides a specific assessment of your health circumstances. Such written evidence may include details relating to the nature and extent of the condition, ongoing treatment you are receiving, and any impact the condition may have or has had on your ability to operate as a registered tax practitioner and provide tax agent or BAS services. We respect your privacy and will keep all information you provide confidential.
We will consider mental health circumstances on a case-by-case basis with a risk-based approach.
If you need help
If you are having difficulty managing your practice or complying with your obligations at any time, please contact us. We strongly encourage you to seek help as early as possible. For urgent mental health and wellbeing support, phone:
- Suicide Call Back Services on 1300 659 467
- Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
- Lifeline on 13 11 14.
You can also contact your professional association for further support.
Mental health and wellbeing organisations
There are many specialised organisations that can provide information and support to help you with your mental health and wellbeing, including:
- Health direct – Government free health advice service
- Head to Health – Government digital mental health gateway
- Mental Health Foundation Australia – mental health professionals, people with a mental health condition and their families, and related organisations concerned with mental health
- Beyond Blue – mental health and wellbeing support organisation
- Lifeline – national charity providing 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services
- Black Dog Institute – independent not-for-profit medical research institute
- Everymind – mental health and wellbeing advice for small business owners.