I am told that the ATO has around two million tax packs printed and ready for use and that they are not using newsagents to distribute these because only between 20% and 25% of those we distributed in the past were submitted as tax returns.
When challenged about the paltry $8 fee we have been paid to distribute 400 postcards, put up a sign and answer customer questions, I am told that this figure was set between the ATO and the magazine distributor, that it was allowed for in a contract between the two parties.
The decision to send out postcards and not the packs was about saving money. The result has been to push onto small business newsagents considerable cost, having us spend our money covering what should be an ATO funded service.
I’d be interested in knowing the fee the magazine distributor got for their part in the ATO tax pack mess.
Based on the questions I know are being asked in my own newsagencies it is clear there remains strong interest in easy taxpayer access to the tax packs. I’d suggest a metric of completed returns versus tax packs in circulation is not ideal since people used the tax packs for more than completing their return.
It is not too late for the ATO to change its mind and distribute the tax packs. My suggestion would be that they distribute a smaller allocation, say 50%. This would provide relief for taxpayers and newsagents. A smaller allocation could be part of a better publicised phase out of paper based tax returns.
The current situation is appalling. It shows how out of touch management at the ATO is when it comes to customer service.
Saving money for the ATO by pushing a significant customer service obligation on to newsagents without fair compensation is disgusting. I’d suggest that the ATO approach on this matter is a breach of their Taxpayers’ Charter a charter that includes:
It is fundamental to the system of self assessment that taxpayers must have sufficient confidence in the collecting authority—confidence that we will provide them with the information they need and that we will act fairly and treat taxpayers according to their individual circumstances. We believe we need to position ourselves in such a way that demonstrates to Australians that we are fair and reasonable and that we treat people according to their individual compliance behaviour.
We’ve enjoyed a surge in plush sales in the last week of holidays with $400+ days since mid last week. I’d like to say it’s in response to some initiative we’ve run but I can’t. Sure we have had featured plush ranges at the front of the shop but we have done that before.
