Over the last few months a lucky bunch of taxpayers road-tested a new suite of paper-based ATO correspondence letters at the regulator’s Co-Design Centre in Canberra. The crash-test results were favourable, so now we can reveal what you’ll get in an envelope from the Tax Office going forward. The Tax Office has completely changed its documentation.
Refreshed debt letters – Blue light, amber light, red light
In keeping with the Tax Office’s digital transformation agenda, its paper-based communications will be updated to show taxpayers a clear escalation path if they have outstanding tax debts.
If you need to take action – the initial letter asking you to pay your tax debt will be coded in blue as a reminder. If you’ve ignored or failed to address the blue letter in time, you’ll get an amber letter; things are being escalated, and you’re in danger of incurring a penalty. Fail to act again, and you’ll get a red letter. Red letters are a notice of legal action; prepare a defence. Check them out in the picture above.
Industry lore says Commissioner of Taxation, Chris Jordan, isn’t a fan of the ‘traffic light’ metaphor used in earlier Tax Office marketing runs. That’s probably why we’re seeing a refined reincarnation now – that, and the chosen colour palette is purported to help foster a feeling of certainty.
Certainty is the mantra
Tax Technical Services Manager at Taxpayers Australia, Andy Nguyen, last week visited the Co-Design Centre. As he reports, certainty is just as much about taxpayer reassurance as it is about administrative due diligence.
“The Co-Design Centre allows the Tax Office to test its correspondence and products, such as its updated smartphone app,” Nguyen says.
“This ensures that taxpayers obtain a positive experience when dealing with Tax Office which ultimately, will make it easier to comply.”
Sprung from renewed vision
The revamped paperwork design is the product of a two-pronged overhaul: A built-from-scratch contravention battle plan and a new-age style guide. According to said battle plan – the Tax Office’s 2015 Strategic Intent – ease of participation and certainty should go hand in hand from now on.
“Where people are transparent about their tax and superannuation affairs and try to do the right thing, we will offer an experience that should result in less effort for them,” its intent reads.
“We want the community to have confidence in our ability to address non-compliance and ensure the tax and superannuation systems are fair for everyone.
“For those who are not transparent or not willing to do the right thing, we will target and tailor compliance activities accordingly.”
For Chris Jordan and the rest of the ATO executive committee, the change may have come in the nick of time.
Only 53% of respondents to a 2013-14 Tax Office survey agreed the regulator listens and responds to feedback. This financial year we’ll likely see some results in the ‘overall community satisfaction’ area; as of 2013-14, there’s not yet enough data to say exactly how the Tax Office has fared.
The new stationery is already doing the rounds, so the time for making amends and inconveniencing wrongdoers is nigh. So goes the official line:
“We will design and operate the tax and superannuation systems for the majority of taxpayers who do the right thing, rather than for the few who do not.”
# [ATO correspondence], [building confidence], [Co-Design Centre], [compliance programs], [new forms], [Tax Office]
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