Tax Commissioner Michael D’Ascenzo to join FIRB
After his seven year term the Australian Tax Commissioner Michael D’Ascenzo will step down at the end of the year to join the Foreign Investment Review Board.
It will conclude 35 years at the Australian Taxation Office.
Mr D’Ascenzo’s departure adds to other departures by tax officers in the ATO’s upper echelons as two of the three second commissioners – the next most senior level – departed earlier this year.
Jennie Granger headed off to the UK revenue authority, while David Butler left to private consultation.
The remaining second commissioner, Bruce Quigley is tipped to retire next year, when his term expires, according to the Australian Financial Review.
Treasurer Wayne Swan said Mr D’Ascenzo had positioned the ATO for a strong future by driving online, service, cultural and technological change, and has put the taxpayer at the heart of the ATO’s thinking.
In an email to the ATO’s 24,000 staff, Mr D’Ascenzo said he would “sincerely miss the institution.”
Mr D'Ascenzo will act as a non-executive member of FIRB for five years from January 2013."The impact of foreign investment proposals on taxation is one of the national interest considerations taken into account in assessing foreign investment applications," Treasurer Wayne Swan said in a statement.
