Our environment is complex, presenting both opportunities and challenges to the delivery of our purpose and vision. We will evolve to meet these challenges and the changing expectations of taxpayers, our partners and our workforce.
Our operating context requires agility and flexibility to deliver on our commitments to the Australian community and the government – both now and into the future.
Our environment is globally connected and can be affected or disrupted by the realisation of geopolitical risks, advances in technology and AI, and unpredictable events. At the same time, we continuously seek to improve our performance, services and culture, building trust in Australia’s regulatory settings.
Megatrends and our approach
Misinformation and disinformation
Misinformation and disinformation continue to spread rapidly, undermining public trust in government, distorting information and creating false narratives. These risks have been further exacerbated by reduced trust in traditional media institutions and recent advances in AI. With these challenges it is important for us to maintain our position as a trusted organisation of high integrity.
Trust in our administration is our greatest asset and underpins willing participation in the tax system. We continue to be one of the most trusted APS agencies, and it is important that the community believes the system treats everyone fairly and that non-compliance is appropriately dealt with.
Technology, data and security
As digital technology, AI and analytics continue to advance, we have more opportunities to offer new digital services and boost our productivity through these tools. However, it also introduces emerging risks such as evolving cybersecurity threats, fraud and data privacy concerns. Preparing for these risks while harnessing new opportunities is important to maintaining secure and reliable operations.
We have a critical role in Australian society, and it is important that the services we provide make it easy for all taxpayers to engage with us. We are looking to leverage the digitalisation of the Australian economy to move to a system where ‘tax just happens’ – that is, where tax is collected using the systems Australian people and businesses already use to transact and manage their affairs.
As the custodian of large data sets, there are opportunities for us to imagine new ways data could be used to ease the compliance burden and play a leading role in governance of data-sharing across government, while managing ethical and security risks.
The protection of our systems and information is critical. We have a suite of controls in place to secure people’s personal information and govern, protect, detect and respond to cyberthreats. Our staff are our first line of defence against cyberthreats, and we continue to work with partners across the public and private sectors to ensure safe and secure digital systems.
Economic conditions and geopolitical uncertainty
Looking ahead, economic factors will continue to shape our environment. The current geopolitical landscape is characterised by changes in international relations, tariff regulations and market access restrictions. The challenges facing governments and revenue collection agencies worldwide are shared, especially as we navigate cost-of-living concerns. We are a world leading revenue collection service that collaborates proactively with other tax jurisdictions to ensure we collectively overcome international tax challenges.
The ongoing pressures from cost-of-living increases have implications on taxpayer behaviour and compliance. Personal and business insolvencies are increasing, creating a significant source of concern for many Australian taxpayers. Monitoring these trends is essential to adapting our strategies and mitigating negative impacts.
The globalisation of the economy, climate change and Australia’s position in the geopolitical environment will impact our policy and regulatory environment into the future, both nationally and internationally. We remain responsive to the impacts of political and economic uncertainty, climate change and natural disasters, while ensuring we continue to deliver on our commitments to government and to the Australian community.