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InFocus October 2025 - Volume 34 Issue 9

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Electronic signatures

As part of ASIC’s commitment to simplifying regulation, we now support the use of electronic signatures on most ASIC forms.

This applies to ASIC forms made available from the ASIC website in the approved PDF format.

You may use various digital methods available that support electronic signature.

Where an electronic signature is used, it must either be:

• Physically signed on a touchscreen device (eg. by a stylus or finger), or
• An image of the person’s usual handwritten signature digitally inserted.

An electronic signature must be a true representation of a person’s handwritten signature.

There are exceptions for some documents that cannot be electronically signed. You can read more on our website.

Business Names Register: ASIC Connect enhancements – coming soon

Expected early October, we will be introducing improvements to ASIC Connect.

Some key updates you can expect include:

• ‘Cease an Organisation Representative’ now submitted online through the ‘Change
   representative details’ transaction,
• New error message to indicate a transfer number is incorrect or expired, and
• New table at ‘Link to your business details’ page to explain different Authorised lodger role
   types.

The enhancements aim to improve user experience overall, with further improvements to the log in process and error messaging coming soon.

These updates reflect our commitment to delivering a better user experience and supporting Australians in managing their business obligations more effectively.

You can read more about what we are doing to simplify regulation and ease regulatory burden on our website.

Expanding email lodgements – coming soon

We are expanding email lodgement to include more paper forms that currently can’t be submitted online. This is a practical next step toward fully streamlined digital lodgement services. It aims to improve flexibility and reduces reliance on paper and post.

We’re aiming to make this alternative channel available for some ASIC forms from October 2025. Importantly, we’re not removing paper lodgement, we’re adding choice.

Our website will continue to be updated with a list of forms that can be emailed, along with instructions on how to lodge.

Over time, we’ll continue to expand the option to lodge via email to support a more convenient and streamlined user experience.

You can read more ASIC’s simplification initiatives on our website.

Financial reports due soon - lodge online now

If your financial year ends on 30 June 2025, your financial reports will be due soon.

Now is the ideal time to start preparing your documents.

Who needs to lodge?
Companies that are not disclosing entities or registered schemes must lodge their financial reports within four months of the financial year end.

How to lodge?
All financial reports must be submitted online.

Learn more about financial reporting on our website.

Protecting privacy while delivering service 

ASIC is committed to providing the highest level of customer service. However, our commitment to privacy and the protection of sensitive information means we must take great care in verifying who we assist.

To ensure information is only shared responsibly, we will only provide assistance when we are satisfied that the individual contacting us—whether by phone, email, or written correspondence—is an authorised and recognised person of the entity they represent. This includes directors, appointed agents, liquidators, and auditors.

If we cannot confirm that the person requesting information holds such authority, we are unable to provide access, regardless of how willing we may be to help. This safeguard is in place to protect both the privacy of organisations and the integrity of our services.

For your benefit, please ensure you have key details readily available—such as ACN, company name, agent number, address, and any other relevant information related to the entities you represent—to help ensure you are attended to properly.  We may ask for personal details where appropriate to support your request.

Your privacy is paramount, and our service commitment is always delivered with that principle at its core.

More information about Privacy is available on our website

Securing Australia Together: A cybersecurity webinar for SMBs 

Join us for an exclusive panel discussion featuring Australia’s Cyber Security Coordinator and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) from the Big Four banks. This webinar is designed to support Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) in navigating today’s cybersecurity landscape.

Date & Time: Thursday, 9 October | 10:00–11:00am AEDT
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams (hosted by NOCS)
Format: Live panel discussion
Audience: SMB stakeholders and networks
Theme: Securing Australia Together

This is a valuable opportunity for SMBs to hear directly from national and industry leaders about practical steps to strengthen cyber resilience.

The link to register is Securing Australia Together

Spotlight article from other Government departments or industries

Reminder: NFP self-review returns are due by 31 October  

If you run a not-for-profit (NFP) club or organisation that has an active Australia business number (ABN) and self-assesses as income tax exempt, you must lodge its NFP self-review return with the ATO by 31 October 2025. Financial penalties may apply if you lodge late. 

The return can be lodged:

  • online
  • via the ATO’s self-help phone service on 13 72 26
  • through a registered tax agent.

You can prepare your answers before lodging by reviewing the return question guide.

For more information about the return, including who needs to lodge and how to lodge, go to ato.gov.au/NFPtaxexempt.

You can also call the ATO’s NFP Advice Service on 1300 130 248, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.