Payment Times Reporting Scheme

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The Payment Times Reporting Scheme (the scheme) aims to improve payment times for Australian small businesses.

It requires large businesses and some government enterprises (known as reporting entities) to submit a report on their payment terms and practices.

The reports are due each 6 months of an income year.

Businesses required to report are those that are:

  • constitutionally‑covered and
  • carry on an enterprise in Australia and
  • meet the income threshold of over $100 million in total annual income.

Also required to report are:

  • Commonwealth corporate entities and Commonwealth companies that meet the income threshold
  • entities with a total income of over $10 million that are members of a controlling corporation with a combined income of over $100 million.

Constitutionally‑covered entities that do not meet these requirements may volunteer to submit a report.

Entities that are registered under the Australian Charities and Not‑for‑Profits Commission Act 2012 are exempt from the reporting requirements.

Aim

The scheme aims to:

  • make information about large businesses' payment performance available to the public
  • create incentives for improved payment times and practices.

The Regulator

The Australian Government established the Payment Times Reporting Regulator on 1 January 2021.

The role is currently based in the Treasury. Treasury administers the scheme under the:

The scheme had a 12‑month transition period before compliance and enforcement powers commenced. Reporting entities were still required to report during this period. The transition period ended on 31 December 2021.

The Regulator can enforce compliance with the reporting requirements. Reporting entities may contravene a civil penalty provision of the Act if they:

  • fail to give a report
  • provide a false or misleading report
  • fail to maintain payment records
  • fail to comply with an audit notice
  • fail to assist the auditor

The Regulator has powers to:

  • monitor compliance
  • investigate suspected non‑compliance
  • require compliance audits and impose infringement notices
  • apply to a court for civil penalty orders

The Regulator registers the reports on the Payment Times Reports Register (the register).

The Regulator may also publish details of non‑compliance on the register or elsewhere.

More coercive compliance and enforcement tools may be used if reporting entities demonstrate a significant or repeated failure to comply with the Act.

For more information visit the Payment Times Reporting Regulator's website.

Guidance

The Regulator’s website provides guidance materials to help you understand:

  • the scheme
  • reporting requirements
  • how to access and report through the portal
  • how the Regulator monitors and enforces compliance with the scheme.

Report

Reporting entities submit their payment reports through the Payment Times Reporting Portal (the portal).

The portal also provides access to the Small Business Identification tool (SBI tool).

For more information visit How to report.

View reports

The Regulator publishes the information from payment times reports on the Payment Times Reports Register. The register is available as a downloadable Excel file and an interactive dashboard.

Learn more about the Payment Times Reports Register.

Small Business Identification tool

The reporting requirements are supported by the payment times Small Business Identification tool (SBI tool).

The SBI tool enables reporting entities to identify, and report on, their small business suppliers.

Learn more about the Small Business Identification (SBI) Tool.

Statutory Review of the Payment Times Reporting Act 2020

A statutory review of the Payment Times Reporting Act 2020 (the Act) was initiated under section 57A of the Act. Under section 57B of the Act, the review had to consider the: 

  • Efficacy of the Act in meeting its objectives (to enable small businesses to make informed decisions about potential customers and create an incentive for reporting entities to improve their payment times).
  • Impact of related government policies (for example, eInvoicing) on the payment terms and practices of reporting entities.
  • Effectiveness of other policy measures (including mandatory payment times) to improve payment terms and practices for small businesses.

On 31 August 2023, the Minister for Small Business, the Hon Julie Collins MP, released the written report of the independent review of the Payment Times Reporting Act 2020.

The review was conducted by the Hon Dr Craig Emerson.

Read more

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