Sure Taxation Accountants

28/05/2026

Good morning. 28 May 2026 Now for the good news. Our phone system was out of action for two and a half days but is now back up and running. For the tech savvy the handsets are connected to a Commander private exchange which in turn is connected to the voip portals on the router and then to the starlink adaptor and finally to the satellite dish on the roof. where it goes after that is a mystery. The whole system is powered by two beefy uninterruptable power supplies and despite mains power outages it has not been power cycled in a long time. Doing that fixed it!

14/05/2026

The Following simply popped up in my personal news feed from a Sydney traveler to Vanuatu. I have copied it without permission or identification just to give you an idea of the ambience of Port Vila:
Just got back from 10 days at Warwick Le Lagon – Vanuatu with my wife and our two kids (9 & 7), and honestly… it was a bit of a rollercoaster in the best possible island way
We started in a lagoon view room which was… fine. A little small, a little dated, and unfortunately came with neighbours who apparently thought they were auditioning for WWE: Vanuatu Edition — swearing, throwing furniture around, air con sounding like a tractor at 2am 😅
Big credit to the management though — we spoke to them and they upgraded us to a beachfront villa and WOW. Absolute game changer. Waking up basically on the beach felt like we’d accidentally upgraded to millionaire status overnight.
A few things that made the trip awesome:
* Kids eat free = huge win for the wallet
* Dinner with kids is basically buffet life every night. Different themes/styles daily which kept it interesting. A little pricey at around 3500 vatu per adult, but pretty solid variety.
* Tiny shop just outside the resort became our financial advisor 😂
Soft drinks:
Resort = 600 vatu
Local shop = 150 vatu
Guess where we went every day.
* Staff were genuinely beautiful people. Super friendly and amazing with the kids.
* Watersports were elite — borrowed the kayaks and paddled across to Erakor Island which was such a cool experience.
* Kids Club got a solid review from the children, which gave mum and dad approximately 11 minutes of peace 😅
* The pools are honestly the best I’ve seen in Vanuatu. Multiple levels/pools and the kids basically evolved into amphibians by day 3.
* The kids had an absolute blast with the local kids on the beach — fishing, catching starfish, playing soccer in the sand and just running around living their best island lives. Honestly one of the best parts of the trip.
* Local buses from the top of the road into town were ridiculously easy. 150 vatu (about $2 AUD) and you’re off.
* Highlight of the trip was finding an absolute legend taxi driver who took us on a full-day adventure to Blue Lagoon, a traditional village and Banana Bay for 10,000 vatu. Bloke even supplied an esky for our drinks. That’s premium service right there 🍻
Overall, Vanuatu is one of those places where things might not always be perfect… but somehow that’s part of the charm. Relaxed vibes, amazing locals, beautiful scenery and enough pool time to turn your kids into prunes.
Would absolutely go back.

11/05/2026

COMMUNITY SERVICE. Yarra Ranges Council area is prone to natural disasters. Storms, road closures bush fire trees down property damage and the like. Council has established Emergency Hubs across the Shire to support affected citizens at short notice. We at Sure Taxation Accountants realize we have the infrastructure to create an Emergency Hub: Specifically for our hills based clients but no one would be turned away we have plenty of car parking accessed from Burwood Highway, power generation when the grid fails, satellite phone and internet when NBN and phone towers fail, Computer facilities that remain online, coffee and cooking facilities and shower and toilets. In emergencies clear thinking is often compromised, we can offer referrals to emergency accommodation and health care services. Until we set up this free service for the hills people, Upwey was without an Emergency Hub. Make a note: we are here to help, but we sincerely hope you will not need us!

21/04/2026

21/04/2026

Join the adventure

16/04/2026

AT SURE TAXATION ACCOUNTANTS we are conscious of the economic situation effecting you and us alike. We want to take you away from all tis for a while. We have arranged a group led escape to Vanuatu in the sparkling south west Pacific Ocean. Our adventure caters for topside adventurers and those that want to immerse on the tropical reefs, even if for the first time. We have local friends who will take you to places most tourists don't see as well as the must see spots. The ni Vanuatu people are credited as being the happiest in the world and I assure you their happiness is infectious. Please book on for this stress free holiday in paradise. So far removed from home yet so close. -- Geoff & Annette

19/03/2026

We are not alone! Tax agents everywhere have this problem: Prefills we use for health insurance provided by the funds to us via the ATO don't tell us if the cover excludes hospital. We don't apply the Medicare Levy Surcharge but much later the ATO amend the extras only return to apply the surcharge. This unfair treatment. So far they are adjusting FY 24 returns. They haven't even looked at FY 25 yet. Please advise us at your FY 26 appointment if your health cover is extras only. That way we can get your return correct. The law hasn't changed but they are drilling deeper to apply it.

02/02/2026

A big thank you to whoever paid our account at the end of January. The narration was ITR24 but who are you?

23/01/2026

If Tuesday's weather eventuates Sure Taxation Accountants Upwey will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you have appointments for Wednesday please contact us on Thursday to reschedule. Thank you for your understanding.

06/01/2026

The Servier weather warnings for Wednesday 7 January and Friday 9 January 2026 may necessitate our closure on those days at short notice. If you have an appointment on those days and if we do close, we trust you understand our motives and will be happy to reschedule. The safety of you and our staff is paramount.
Stay safe, Geoff

23/10/2025

The Tax Practitioners Board has issued the following statement:

Registered tax practitioners are responsible for maintaining proper supervision and control in their practices to provide competent services to their clients. This leads to an effective tax system, which is why this is something we actively monitor. We’ve terminated the tax agent registration of Can Do Accounting Services Pty Ltd and imposed a 2-year ban on re-registration. Our investigations uncovered the company, led solely by Ruaidhri Carslake, who has never been a registered tax agent, falsely listed supervising agents without their consent or involvement. Over a 4-year period, more than 3,000 tax returns were lodged without proper oversight! Mr Carslake put his clients at risk by lodging on their behalf without having the necessary skills required of a registered tax practitioner.

Sure Taxation Accountants has two registered agents. Annette Hall and Geoffrey Sparkes. We are required to submit evidence of relevant continuing professional development annually and also pass a 'Fit & Proper' test. You are safe with us!