The Inspector-General of Taxation (IGT), Mr Ali Noroozi, today announced his new work program for improving tax administration in Australia.

“I am pleased to announce my new work program. The community-based consultation surfaced a wide range of issues and concerns for review,” Mr Noroozi said. The IGT received a broad range of submissions from the community including taxpayers, tax professionals and their representative bodies.

“I thank each of you for your insight and input. While I cannot review every issue, the topics selected reflect the greatest levels of community concern or significance in achieving a more efficient, fair and transparent tax administration system,” Mr Noroozi said.

The new IGT work program consists of the following reviews:

• Review into the ATO’s Taxpayers’ Charter and taxpayer protections;
• Review into the ATO’s approach to debt collection;
• Review into the ATO’s services and support for tax practitioners; and
• Review into the ATO’s conduct of employer obligation compliance activities.

Three further topics which received strong stakeholder support for inclusion in the work program were:

• the ATO’s administration of the general anti-avoidance rules;
• the ATO’s public consultation arrangements; and
• the ATO’s information gathering activities.
• Whilst the importance of these topics is acknowledged, it would be more effective to conduct such reviews after the ATO has bedded down certain initiatives.

The following two reviews are also in progress:

• Review into the ATO’s administration of valuation matters; and
• Review of the ATO’s implementation of the agreed recommendations arising out of the of the so‑called ‘U-turns’ review and other IGT reports published between August 2009 and November 2010.

“This new work program embodies my office’s motto – consult, review, advise and improve – a philosophy which delivers improvements and longer term productivity benefits for all Australians,” said Mr Noroozi. The IGT will consult to refine the scope and focus of the four newly announced reviews and thereafter commence each review by announcing specific terms of reference and seeking submissions.

SYDNEY 10 April 2014

Media contact: Ali Noroozi – (02) 8239 2111