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  • Objectives

    Explains how our policies set out principles for managing complaints, disputes, some compensation and workplace issues.

    On this page

    What is covered

    Our policy sets out the principles for managing:

    • complaints
    • tax and superannuation disputes
    • debt disputes
    • access to information disputes
    • compensation (excluding workers' compensation)
    • disputes relating to a breach of contract between the ATO and its suppliers
    • workplace issues with our employees.

    Our aim

    By providing information about our overall approach to dispute management, and how we deal with specific types of disputes, we aim to promote a resolution culture based on all of the following:

    • effective communication
    • genuine engagement
    • collaboration
    • strategies that are
      • fair and proportionate to the matters in dispute
      • lead to early resolution at minimal cost.
       

    How we work

    To help us achieve our objectives, we will work with our dispute management stakeholders – our employees, the community, other agencies, courts and tribunals, legal and accounting bodies, dispute resolution practitioners and our various external scrutineers – to identify and promote best practice in dispute management.

    We will continue to develop better tools to assess risk and manage disputes and review our communication approach to minimise disputes – for example, by encouraging more phone contact and clearer written communications. We will also continue to review and evaluate our dispute policies and processes and update them as necessary.

    Last modified: 01 May 2023QC 72371