Australia's Taxpayers Get To Grips With Online Returns

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

09 October 2001

Many Australian taxpayers have embraced e-tax, the Australian Taxation Office's new electronic system of lodging online tax returns. To date about 15 per cent of tax payers have used the service which is about 192,000 returns and the ATO says it expects a further 158,000 to complete their forms electronically in e-tax's first year of operation.

Launched in July this year, the ATO says the service has been well received. 'E-tax makes completing your tax return easier, and getting any refund faster. Currently almost 100 per cent of returns lodged using e-tax are turned around within 14 days,' said tax commissioner Michael Carmody. And ATO assistant commissioner Raelene Vivian has confirmed that almost $4 billion had already been refunded to taxpayers.

Mr Carmody added: 'Users tell us they are impressed with e-tax's security features, its ability to do automatic calculations and to estimate the amount of any refund they are due. One of the best features of e-tax is that it helps you to get your tax return right by giving useful hints and examples to minimise errors. Of course users are covered by my personal guarantee that if you use e-tax properly and make an honest mistake, you won't be penalised.'

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