IGTO encourages you to share your views on how the Charter could be improved
The Inspector-General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman (IGTO) has today released a brief history of the Taxpayers’ Charter. The paper is intended to serve as a thought leadership document to encourage feedback and recommendations from stakeholders about how the Charter could be improved. The history of the Charter highlights:
- the importance of the role of an independent Taxation Ombudsman, as contemplated by the (then) Joint Committee of Public Accounts; and
- one of the foundations for the Charter, was the 1993 draft proposal for a Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights – as proposed by the (then) Taxation Institute of Australia.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has recently advised the IGTO that it is currently undertaking a review of the Taxpayers’ Charter. According to the ATO, external consultation is due to commence in February 2022.
Encouraging Debate and Inviting Recommendations
The IGTO strongly encourages members of the tax profession – including accountants, BAS agents, bookkeepers, solicitors, barristers – and professional and industry organisations to engage with the ATO review of the Taxpayers’ Charter.
Our aim is that the chronology and brief summary of events over time and the international comparisons contained in the IGTO’s ‘Brief History of the Taxpayers’ Charter’ will assist with consultation and highlight areas for improvement. The IGTO paper is provided primarily to inform community debate and discussion and to facilitate engagement between stakeholders and the ATO during their consultation on the Taxpayers’ Charter.
For further information – Contact
Marjorie Johnston – Wordmakers
Mobile: 0407 329 430
About the IGTO
The Inspector-General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman (IGTO) is an independent, Commonwealth statutory agency, established in 2003. The Taxation Ombudsman function was transferred to the IGTO in 2015. The IGTO provides an important safety net service in the tax system. Independent investigation of taxpayer complaints enhances community confidence in the fairness of the tax system and provides assurance to taxpayers in the fairness of their outcomes. This helps to enhance voluntary compliance. The IGTO also provides independent advice and assurance to Government on the taxation administration laws and systems. Since 2015, the IGTO has performed dual roles, which complement each other:
- The Taxation Ombudsman provides independent assistance and assurance directly to taxpayers and tax professionals and investigates taxation complaints about the actions and decisions of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB). The Taxation Ombudsman, also conducts investigations of actions that have broader community impact or are commonly observed in a number of complaints to identify wider system improvements that address the causal issues.
- The Inspector-General of Taxation undertakes investigations of actions, systems and taxation laws (to the extent they deal with tax administration matters).