Check against delivery
Hello everyone, it’s a pleasure to be here today.
Thank you to the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services for his message.
Joining us online and from ATO sites all across the country are thousands of our people. Welcome and thanks for tuning in!
It’s been another huge year for the ATO.
And I wanted to start by reflecting on how proud I am of the way we’ve continued to work hard to collect the revenue that supports the economic and social wellbeing of Australians.
The world has changed significantly in recent years. And so has the ATO, as we’ve adapted and evolved to support the community. As you know, my current term as Commissioner ends on 29 February 2024, which means this is my last Corporate Plan.
So in the spirit of holding myself accountable, I actually dug out and dusted off my speech 10 years ago - from the launch of the Corporate Plan from 2013–14! I have to say, it was a bit like looking back at an old school year book!
10 years ago, I said I want the ATO to be trusted and respected here and internationally. I said I want the tax and super systems to be fair, efficient, and sustainable, and for the ATO to be recognised and valued as a necessary part of the Australian community.
I have to say, the past decade has flown by, but I can confidently look back and reflect on my statement from 10 years ago and say – we’ve done these things – and more.
When I joined the ATO 10 years ago, I wanted to reinvent the organisation. So, I spent 6 months listening to you – our people – as well as our external clients and stakeholders. From this consultation, we launched our ‘2020 Vision’ and Blueprint for Reinvention.
The vision set out where I wanted the organisation to be at the end of my first term – putting the staff and client experience at the centre of everything we do. We drove improvements in digital systems, the way we use data, and how we engage and support taxpayers to meet their obligations.
By 2018, we had made significant progress and to keep up momentum, we launched our new vision ‘Towards 2024’.
Speaking of time flying by, believe it or not, 2024 is just around the corner, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together since then. Together, we have driven a significant program of transformation.
This has been both internal and external – and we did it all in a deliberate and considered way.
One of the things I’m most proud of is the ATO being an employer of choice – we know that you recommend the ATO as a great place to work.
We’ve transformed externally by putting our clients first, consulting widely with tax practitioners and the community, and increasing our digital service options. And the proof is in the pudding – the latest ‘Trust in Australian public services’ reportExternal Link saw us come out on top with 81% of people saying they trust the ATO.
The thing about the ATO is we do not accept the status quo. If there’s a better way to do something, we’re open to it. We need to build on this and keep pushing and delivering.
I want to make it clear I’ll be keeping my foot on the pedal over the next 7 months! Each day, we need to keep our core purpose front of mind – and ask ourselves: how do we best contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of Australians by fostering willing participation in the tax, super and registry systems?
We have a lot we need to achieve between now and February, and I’m pleased today to be launching our 2023–24 Corporate plan.
This corporate plan is the final chapter of our Towards 2024 journey and the path forward for the future. Our plan shines a spotlight on some of the challenges we face and what we need to focus on:
- collectable debt
- Improving compliance for our largest taxpayers
- improving small business tax performance through digital innovations
- investing in data and digital
- focusing on superannuation guarantee non-compliance
- protecting the system and clients against fraud and managing cybersecurity.
Underpinning all of this is our work to focus on the ongoing integrity of our people, our processes, and the broader system. When the system has a strong foundation based on integrity, we will maintain the community’s trust and confidence in us.
While I’m not going through the whole Corporate Plan with you today, it’s important that you read it, and make time to discuss it with your colleagues. Our plan aims to give you a clear vision and show how your work directly contributes to our strategic objectives. It should feed into group, business line and team plans.
We are a big organisation with a lot of moving parts, so it’s important you take the time to understand where your work fits in, what the plan means for you, and how you contribute to it.
It should act as a guiding light – to give you the why behind what you do every day.
Reflecting on our journey over the past 10 years, I am proud of everything we have achieved.
As we turn our minds to 2024 and beyond, I’m confident our strong foundations and shared goals will ensure we continue to be a world-leading tax administration and one of the highest performing APS agencies.
We all have a role to play, and I know that together we can do great things.
I look forward to seeing the ATO succeed after I leave in February next year.
Thank you
Commissioner Chris Jordan delivered a speech to ATO staff about the launch of the ATO Corporate Plan 2023-24