The Inspector-General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman, Ruth Owen, has begun a review into the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) registered agent phone line in response to increased reports of dissatisfaction with the service. As part of the review, she is asking registered tax and BAS agents right across Australia to share their stories, feedback and insights with her online and in person.
“The ATO is increasingly providing its services online, but 65% of tax agents say they had problems using these services, so many of them pick the phone and call the ATO’s dedicated registered agent phone line to get help,” Ms Owen said. “But the feedback I get from agents is that the service has long wait times and is inconsistent, and that they aren’t confident they will get the right answer when they call, or even the same answer each time they call.”
The new client-agent linking system is also creating dissatisfaction as it rolls out, with agents feeling the phone support they need to troubleshoot issues when they arise is lacking.
“There’s clearly a mismatch between what agents want and expect, and what the ATO is providing, and I think that’s worth investigating,” Ms Owen said. “Agents want a certain level of tax expertise on the other end of the line, but that’s not what they say they are getting.”
“My review will look for patterns in the complaints I have received from registered tax and BAS agents, but I also want to hear directly about their experiences, expectations and ideas on how the ATO can improve this important service,” she said.
The IGTO has announced a series of online and face-to-face forums to gather informal feedback and insights, as well as accepting written submissions, to help inform the review. The first of these will be held Curtin University in Perth on 12 March, with others to follow around the country.
“I want every agent to have the opportunity to have their say. That will give me real insights into the issues on the ground, so that I can make the best possible recommendations to practically help the ATO improve their service for agents,” said Ms Owen. “That means opening the process up to anyone who wants to tell their story, even if they don’t make a formal submission to the official review. There will be lots of ways to have your say, and I look forward to hearing from you.”