The DSP Architecture Reference Group (DARG) meeting was held in Sydney on 21 April 2026.
Participation is available to those Digital service providers listed as DARG members for the 2025–26 years.
Key outcomes
Summary
Below is a summary of key outcomes. Note: the full key messages and artefacts are available on the DSP Hub.
Landscape overview
Reflections from the DSP Strategic Working Group (SWG)
Meeting topics and points of interest from the SWG held on 26 March 2026 were brought to the group for discussion and awareness, including updates on the ATO Strategy and Payday Super.
Discussion also included counter fraud programs, early thinking on identity verification, and insights from Tax Practitioner Board (TPB) discussions.
Cyber security update & Implementation of Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3
TLS 1.2 has now been decommissioned with services operating exclusively on TLS 1.3. Discussion included current cyber threat activity and emerging risks across AI and software supply chains.
DSP Communication feedback
Feedback was sought on the effectiveness of the DSP newsletter as the ATO’s primary communication channel. The group agreed the DSP newsletter remains fit-for-purpose with no changes required to frequency, content or structure.
Integration Strategy refresh
The ATO’s Integration Strategy refresh focuses on modernising internal integration to better support API‑first delivery, wholesale services and the “tax just happens” approach. Changes to internal integration approaches are expected to drive improvements to external services in the future.
The strategy refresh will include: opportunities to simplify external services for DSPs through better alignment between internal and external integrations, and strengthened authentication and authorisation models.
Delivery insights and future program
An overview of current initiatives was provided, including:
- Better Targeted Super Concessions - new start date of 1 July 2026 and introduces a second threshold of $10m for very large super balances.
- Denying Deductions for ATO interest charges – removing the ability for taxpayers to claim deductions for general interest charges and shortfall interest charges Incurred, and the deductions schedule to be converted to XML.
- Small Business Future Tax Administration pre-fill enhancements that include updates to both IITR Prefill and IITR Lodge.
- Modernisation of Tax Administration Systems (MTAS) changes include new labels in the Statement of Distribution to support automated reporting by individual beneficiaries, improvements to pre-lodgment validations and Pre-fill for Individuals into the Trust Income Statement.
Further details in the DWIS Product and Program Delivery Roadmap on the DSP Hub.
Recommendation to withdraw PSLA 2008/14
Members were consulted on the recommendation to withdraw PSLA 2008/14 Record keeping when using commercial off-the-shelf software. The group agreed the document could be withdrawn.
SBR1 Decommission
Access to this information is restricted to DARG members only.
Overview of proposed Operational Security Framework (OSF) uplift
Access to this information is restricted to DARG members only.
Payday Super
Members were provided with an update on Payday Super readiness, delivery and engagement activities, including:
- Voluntary Disclosure Statement (VDS) – an interim, short form VDS will be available for the first year of Payday Super, with an enduring wholesale solution planned from 1 July 2027. The enduring model will be embedded in payroll software, leverage STP pre‑fill, improve accuracy and reduce employer burden.
- STP reporting updates – DSPs are progressing required changes to support reporting of qualifying earnings, with testing well underway and expected to be completed ahead of commencement on 1 July 2026.
- SuperStream and Fund Validation Service enhancements – updates will support faster payments, improved error messaging, member verification and upgraded fund validation, with readiness activities underway across funds in collaboration with APRA.
Further changes to support Payday Super in Treasury Laws Amendment (Supporting Choice in Superannuation and Other Measures) Bill 2025 are currently before parliament that support broader use of the Stapled Super Fund service and restrictions on fund advertising.
DSP readiness
Existing certificate security obligations and timeframe requirements continue to apply. Progress has been made in working with gateways and DSPs to shorten certificate update lead times. Information and supporting materials are available through the Payday Super resources.
Rules as Code (RaC) Proof of Concept (PoC)
The learnings from the RaC PoC have been included in the ATO Rules as Code - 2025 PoC Evaluation Report available on the DSP Hub.
The PoC demonstrated technical feasibility in a limited scope and could help manage legislative complexity through software.
Simplifying tax administration for business
Access to this information is restricted to DARG members only.
Client-to-agent linking - seeking DSP input on wholesale approach
Access to this information is restricted to DARG members only.
Subscription and Notification model - exploratory session
A subscription and notification model was explored to support scalable, event driven interactions across wholesale services, focusing on reducing inefficiencies around polling and synchronous APIs.
The model would improve client account visibility and reduce follow-up by providing information on the client’s account and activity.
Artificial Intelligence – setting the scene
This discussion set the scene for AI adoption across DSP and ATO services, exploring how generative artificial intelligence (AI) can elevate our IT delivery practices. The intent is to build IT functions that respond faster to business needs and integrate DSPs into the loop without increasing delivery cycle overheads.
Discussion included: recognising risks, inexperienced new developers, the potential role of Rules as Code, and the move away from current complex documentation. An ATO approved, single source of information could support the development of accurate and consistent AI-driven tax software.
Other business
Items raised:
- Limitations with existing validation libraries, particularly compatibility with modern .NET frameworks.
- Messages getting lost in BBRP – the ATO will provide an update on lost or unresolved asynchronous requests and the move toward clearer responses and reduced reliance on polling.
- The use of M2M credentials for non ATO interactions, in particular, a SuperStream signing certificate for gateways.
If you have any questions, contact the secretariat by email at DPO@ato.gov.au or raise a ticket through the DSP service desk.
No previous versions available.