Hi Romei, in my view what a load of codswallop you are being fed! All in the purposes of getting commissions. I don’t know how much interest your OC earn or what the Strata’s manager is going to charge for tax preparation but if all they earn is interest filling out a tax return is so easy.
Re being public officier: Have the OC or the EC on behalf of the strata write to the ATO and change your public officer for tax purposes. The other alternative after getting permission from the EC or OC is just lodge the return with you nominated as public officer. The ATO will update their records.
The ATO will have a PRN (payment reference number) for your strata the Strata Manager may already have it. If the SM won’t give it to you it will be on any notice of assessment issued by the ATO or after being appointed and listed (for ATO purposes) as public office write to the ATO and ask for the strata PRN. Once you have a PRN you can pay electronically.
For tax purposes an OC is treated as a company and the ATO has a return for the OC. A paper copy of which can be ordered over the phone. As it is blank you don’t have to be the public officer.