Commissioner of Taxation Annual Report 2006-07

Taxpayer and tax agent perceptions of Tax Office professionalism and service

We undertake a wide range of research, including surveys, product testing and user research, as we need objective and independent information to understand what people think, feel and do in relation to our services, products and education activities. We make our survey results public, reflecting our open and accountable administration.

The main research we use to measure and track taxpayer and tax agent perceptions of Tax Office professionalism and service include the:

• community perceptions survey
• business perceptions survey
• professionalism survey, and
• tax agent research program.

For more information about the surveys visit www.ato.gov.au/annualreport/quicklinks

Snapshot You've given us a big tick

Every year we commission surveys to find out what the community and businesses think about how we're administering the tax and superannuation systems. This year 82% of people who were surveyed agreed that we're doing a good job overall - a better result than in previous surveys. And 87% of businesses surveyed also agreed. These results encourage us to keep trying to do the very best job we can.

Table 2.13:

Table 2.14

We continue to achieve an overall professionalism score of 3.96, which was 0.26 above the benchmark (3.7 out of 5) in May 2007. This translates to an overall average of 78% of respondents surveyed being 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the professionalism of our employees.

Table 2.15 shows that we also achieved a score above the benchmark (3.7 out of 5) for all nine characteristics of professionalism in the last three surveys.

Table 2.16:

Since 2003 we have monitored tax agents' overall levels of satisfaction with services every two years as part of a state of the industry research project.

This research monitors trends in the tax agent profession, including environment, relationships and concerns. Table 2.17 shows the results since 2003.

Sections within 2.2 Our effectiveness indicators

• Deliver to government
• Revenue collections
• Transfers
• Improved revenue compliance
• New policy measures
• Maintain community confidence
• The Tax Office and the community
• Taxpayer and tax agent perceptions of Tax Office professionalism and service
• Performance against service standards
• Technical quality review
• Complaints received
• Helping those with special needs
• Minimise compliance costs within Tax Office control
• Making compliance easier
• Efficient and adaptive organisation
• Manage the Tax Office within budget