Tax Boss Tackles Transparency, Avoidance and Tax Appeal

Only about 2.5 million individuals directly use the Australian Taxation Office's online e-tax facility, while a further 9 million now file online via tax agents, which means forking out for the extra compliance costs. A mere half a million use the old paper method. Commissioner of Taxation Michael D'Ascenzo well recalls the initial hue and cry about "big brother watching" when the returns went online in 2007. Regardless of delivery mode, research shows most Australians "don't mind" filing an annual tax return, he says. Mainly because about 80% of the nation's personal taxpayers get a refund.