The Inspector-General and Taxation Ombudsman (IGTO) performs an important role in maintaining the integrity of the taxation administration system. The Budget Outcome Statement for the IGTO is as follows:
Fair, accountable and improved administration and integrity of the taxation and superannuation systems for the benefit of the Australian community, through independent investigation and reporting
The IGTO improves transparency, integrity and fairness of the tax system, by independently investigating taxation decisions, actions, systems and laws of the Australian Taxation Office or the Tax Practitioners Board and publicly reporting where this is in the public interest.
Independent investigation advances community trust and provides assurance that there is fair and effective public administration of the tax system. In doing so, the IGTO improves taxation administration and voluntary compliance with taxation systems and laws. In an age where the ATO and TPB have wide reaching statutory powers, the function performed by the IGTO’s office provides a critical means of ensuring that taxation laws are applied in a way that is consistent with community expectations and fairness.