03. Core priorities, performance measures and priority risks
The following pages set out our strategic objectives with aligned core priorities, performance measures and priority risks. Our key activities and management of risks ensure we achieve our strategic objectives, and our performance measures help us to know whether we are on-track and to refine our approach when needed.
Government
Strategic objectives
- G1 We build community confidence by sustainably reducing the tax gap and providing assurance across the tax, superannuation and registry systems.
- G2 We design for better tax, superannuation and registry systems to make it easy to comply and hard not to.
Core priorities
1.1 Tax assurance
Implement integrated prevention, detection and treatment strategies to assure and improve tax performance
1.2 Commitments to government
Deliver on government priorities, including through our funded taskforces, and our contribution to and implementation of new measures
1.3 Superannuation integrity
Provide integrity and assurance of the superannuation system, including through provision of services that support effective and secure transactions
1.4 Payment and debt recovery
Make payment easy, while implementing targeted approaches to improve the management and recovery of debts
1.5 Advocacy
Build strong relationships with key stakeholders to advocate for more effective and simple tax, superannuation and registries policy and administration
1.6 Effective public advice and guidance
Deliver effective public advice and guidance, including timely publication of ATO views on priority matters
1.7 Effective registry services
Deliver modernised business registry services and strengthen the integrity of registry data
1.8 Address fraud
Identify and treat fraud in the tax, superannuation and registry systems
Performance measures
Trust
Community trust in the ATO and the system
Registration
Proportion of companies and individuals registered in the system
Lodgment
Proportion of activity statements and income tax returns lodged on time
Payment
Proportion of liabilities paid on time by value
Tax gap
As a proportion of revenue
Debt
Ratio of collectable debt to net tax collections
Total revenue effects
Tax revenue from all compliance activities
Influence
Influence tax and superannuation system design through a mutually positive relationship with Treasury and the provision of quality advice
Tax assured
Proportion of the tax base where the ATO has justified trust that tax paid is correct based on the proportion of income, deductions and tax offsets assured(1)
Priority risks
- Tax and superannuation performance in accordance with the law
- Payment and debt performance
- Influencing policy and law design
Client
Strategic objectives
- C1 Our client experience and interactions are well designed, tailored, fair and transparent.
- C2 We work with and through others to deliver efficient and effective tax, superannuation and registry systems.
Core priorities
2.1 Fairness and integrity
Enable trust and compliance through policy, sound law design and interpretation, as well as resolving disputes
2.2 Digital communications and self-service interactions
Continue to evolve digital interactions and where appropriate, reduce reliance on paper
2.3 Deliver tax time
Ensure continued delivery of tax time commitments
2.4 Partnerships
Nurture partnerships with the tax professional community, digital service providers, whole-of-government and international counterparts in coordinated approaches to support the integrity and streamlining of the tax, superannuation and registry systems
Performance measures
Compliance cost
Adjusted median cost to individual taxpayers of managing their tax affairs
Digital
Proportion of inbound transactions received digitally for key services
Digital
Proportion of outbound interactions issued digitally for key services
Service satisfaction
Client satisfaction with their recent interaction with us
Working together
Partner perceptions of how we are working together with them to administer the tax, superannuation and registry systems
Priority risks
- Managing a complex superannuation ecosystem
- End-to-end client service and case management
Workforce
Strategic objective
- W1 We are a high-performing workforce with a focus on integrity, the right culture, capability and tools to deliver the best client and staff experience.
Core priorities
3.1 Shape our workforce
Create a diverse and dynamic workforce with the right leadership, culture, capability and staff experience to position us for the future
3.2 Integrity
Identify, prevent and respond to integrity threats in our workplace, through our integrity framework
Performance measures
Culture
Level of employee engagement
Staff experience
Employee perceptions around whether they have access to the tools and resources needed to perform well
Priority risks
- Agile and sustainable resourcing
- Standards and ethical conduct
Operational
Strategic objectives
- O1 We use data, information and insights to deliver value for our clients and inform decision-making across everything we do.
- O2 Our technology and digital services deliver a reliable and contemporary client experience.
Core priorities
4.1 Unlock data potential
Improve the way we collect, manage, share and use data, to build confidence and inform more effective and simpler tax policy and administration
4.2 Strengthen cybersecurity
Continue to strengthen our ability to monitor, detect and respond to cyberthreats
4.3 ATO systems resilience and improvements
Drive modernisation of our key systems and focus on resilience where it improves reliability and client experience
Performance measures
Tax returns
Proportion of pre-filled items accepted without change
Identity matching
Proportion of data items matched to client identifiers
Availability
Key digital systems availability
Priority risks
- Managing cyberthreats
- Contemporary technology
- Maximising the value of data
Financial
Strategic objective
- F1 We strive for operational excellence to achieve efficiency and quality outcomes.
Core priorities
5.1 Effective management of ATO resources
Ensure effective resource allocation, monitoring and reporting, demonstrating quality financial management aligned to organisational priorities
5.2 Value for money
Leverage our expertise to deliver value for money in our internal and external processes and relationships
Performance measure
Cost of collection
Cost to collect $100
Priority risk
- Capacity and prioritisation
1 Additional indicator to the performance measures.