What the ATO’s Melbourne CBD Visits Mean for Your Records

Few weeks ago, ATO officers visited more than 25 hospitality businesses in Melbourne's CBD. News like this can prompt a reasonable question: if the ATO asked, would our records tell a clear story?

What happened

On 22 and 23 September 2026, the ATO made unannounced visits to fast-food outlets, restaurants and cafes in the CBD as part of Operation Tonberry. According to reports of the ATO's announcement, the visits followed community tip-offs, with more than 2,500 hospitality tip-offs received nationally in 2025-26.

The ATO has described the operation as protecting businesses that follow the rules from being undercut by those that don't.

The 4 areas the ATO looked at, and how they're covered

The ATO reportedly focused on undeclared income, cash-in-hand wages, unpaid super, and reporting and record keeping. Here's how each one comes together for our clients.

• Income, including cash

When we reconcile your bank accounts, card settlements and deposits are matched to your sales. Cash is the part we can only see if it's recorded. Daily takings records and end-of-day reports from your point-of-sale system let every dollar be traced, including any cash that goes straight to paying an expense.

• Wages

When every staff member is paid through payroll and reported through Single Touch Payroll, including casuals and short shifts, the wage records are already in place. If we process your payroll, this is part of each pay run. If you run payroll yourself, rosters and timesheets that line up with each pay complete the picture.

• Super

Since 1 July 2026, super has been paid in step with each pay run. If we look after your payroll, we check this as part of the pay cycle. If you do, keeping the clearing house or fund confirmations for each pay run shows it's up to date.

• Records overall

The ATO generally expects business records to be kept for 5 years. Sending receipts and invoices to us as they come in keeps everything in one place and easy to find.

A few habits that help

If you'd like to strengthen your records, these tend to make the most difference:

1. Record cash takings each day, including cash used to pay suppliers or expenses.

2. Keep your point-of-sale end-of-day reports.

3. Put every staff member through payroll, including casual and trial shifts.

4. Send receipts and invoices through as they arrive.

If something doesn't look right

If you're unsure about anything, let us know. It's usually simpler to sort out early. We can talk through the options with you, including a voluntary disclosure to the ATO if one is needed, and bringing in your tax agent where it's an income tax matter.

If you'd like us to look over how your sales, payroll and super records line up, get in touch with your Account Manger and we'll go through it with you.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general guidance and is not specific advice. We encourage you to seek tailored advice for your circumstances.