About us

Our purpose

The purpose of the Tax Ombudsman is to improve the fairness and integrity of taxation and superannuation administration in Australia.   

Our key activities

In delivering against our purpose, our key activities are to:  

• investigate and help resolve complaints from taxpayers or tax practitioners on the administration of the Australian Tax Office or Tax Practitioners Board in a timely and efficient way  

• review and make recommendations on systemic issues relevant to improving tax administration  

• provide independent advice to the Government and Parliament on tax administration

• raise awareness of the role of the Tax Ombudsman and promote the integrity of the tax system. 

How we help

We help to improve taxation administration through different means which can include: 

• the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) reversing a decision as a result of our investigation, for example, by identifying and verifying important facts that were not previously taken into account 

• the ATO or TPB changing or updating their policies, procedures, or systems as a result of our investigation making recommendations for improvement 

• the ATO or TPB reconsidering a decision where our investigation finds that incorrect advice was provided 

• the Tax Ombudsman providing independent assurance that confirms the ATO or TPB’s action is in accordance with administrative law principles. 

Our History

Our office was set up by the Inspector-General of Taxation Act 2003. We operate independent of the Commonwealth Government and the Australian Parliament. Under this act the Governor-General appoints an Inspector-General of Taxation for a 5-year period. All other staff are employed under the Public Service Act 1999.  

The agency gained the Taxation Ombudsman role in 2015 which was previously handled by the Commonwealth Ombudsman. This role allows the agency to help members of the community directly address their complaints about the administrative actions of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB).  

In 2025, we simplified our agency name to the Tax Ombudsman. We continue to carry out the responsibilities of Inspector-General of Taxation and the Taxation Ombudsman.