better service to customers, that being tax payers, and improve the efficiency of the administration of the tax system,” MP Falinski said in his opening remarks.
“However, as with all the best laid plans of mice and people, the ATO has along with the rest of us been thrown a number of curve balls. Along with state-based agencies like Service NSW, the ATO’s response has demonstrated the importance of investing in rigorous systems and institutional strength continuously and not waiting until crises hit,” he added.
According to the recent report published by the ATO, by June this year, the ratio of collectable debt to net tax collections had escalated to 8.3 per cent from 6.7 per cent a year earlier. In terms of aggregate value, during the financial year 2020, collectable debt levels reported by the revenue collection body stood at more than $34.1 billion, a sharp increase from $19.2 billion in financial year 2016.
“There are many who complain about the ATO, and let us face it tax collectors have never been popular from Jesus’s time onwards, however, I believe I speak on behalf of the entire committee in thanking the ATO, its leaders, teams and staff for their considerable efforts on behalf of our nation to ensure that when we were faced with the chasm of COVID, all of us were able to get to the other side,” the committee chair noted.
