The tax ombudsman has called on the ATO to modernise its online digital services for tax agents to reduce red tape and better assist taxpayers as a result of its Online Services for Agents Review report.
“Agents want modern digital services to help them complete routine tasks online and resolve tax matters quickly without wasting their time and client’s money. There is also a win for the ATO in increasing online transactions and reducing call volumes and manual workarounds,” tax ombudsman Ruth Owen said.
The report noted satisfaction with the ATO’s secure digital platform for tax agents, Online Services for Agents (OSFA), has fallen from 76 per cent in 2022 to 63 per cent in 2026. The assessment also found there are nearly 100 OSFA-related changes awaiting action in the ATO backlog of system improvements, some of which have been on the list since 2022 without progressing.
The review made three recommendations. Firstly, it called for the regulator to improve OSFA self-service so agents can access key information and complete more tasks online.
It also called on the ATO to prioritise agent needs by giving OSFA improvements appropriate weight and greater visibility, and finally it recommended the regulator modernise digital communication through secure two-way channels and practical practice mail improvements.
The tax ombudsman did, however, acknowledge the regulator had begun addressing some of the issues raised.
“We know the ATO has already begun work to improve its online services, with a new working group of agents and expanded capability planned in its future ICT (information and communications technology) strategy,” Owen confirmed.
In response to the report, the ATO agreed to all three recommendations, while also stipulating it “operates in a complex environment and must balance a range of competing priorities, including legislative obligations, security requirements, service delivery commitments and longer-term transformation initiatives”.
