ATO suffering severe tax backlogs because of HECS horror

Completely outrageous! The ATO should have been upfront about this on their website when people went to use e-tax. This is our money and many people are depending on it this time of year. Everyone who has phoned the ATO has received a series of lies and mixed messages. Just tell us when our return will be processed and make sure it's done by then and we'll be happy.

what a load of crap. how is it our fault that they system doesnt work. they could have told us the truth then at least we would know what is happening

Lots of excuses .. standard return NO HECS debt .. so thats rubbish .. lodged on the 7th .. 20 days later .. still nothing..

Did mine via E-tax on 12th July, still nothing. Do have a HECS debt, but according to this article, things are meant to be running properly again now. So I call BS on their story. Every other year since E-tax began it has taken about 8 days for my return to arrive.

Wel, ato worker, I think most people woud have been/woud be calmer if they knew there was a problem & most returns woud take 30 days or longer. All we want is some honesty & for the PR spin to stop.
I do feel for the guys in the call centre, however, they must understand that people only want to know what is really happening.

@ Wayne ... I am a liberal voter and that is the most stupid comment I have ever heard!

Are you sure you have the intelligence to even fill out that ballot paper come voting time?

Teaspoon of concrete people. Perhaps if you'd planned your finances better you wouldn't be so cash strapped and reliant on a tax refund for day to day living.

Ah I smell the sickly smell of verbal diarrhoea, there is much ranting and anger here. I’ve always found the tax return turn-around time to be a bit variable so I try not to rely on the money too much. At the moment the worst thing that will happen to me if it is late (which is likely given I am a HECS debt owing centerlink dependant student) is I will lose the $100 deposit my fiancé and I put on a new Xbox last week. I also agree that poster #5 “Wayne” probably has to take experimental medication to bring his brain function up to the level where he can complete the knee-jerk reaction he has just demonstrated as his main skill. I think as a whole the country needs better financial management on an individual level. We as people need to learn how to stop haemorrhaging money on useless junk (see my lay buy Xbox above) and learn some skills for making our lives more worthwhile than simple consumerism. Coles has ads running about how you can feed your family dinner for $10, in my house that would be the upper end of the average price of our meals and we eat quite well… hmm reminds me I need to start my fiancé jogging more often :) …

also lodged on the 1st, have a HECS debt so just hope its only a week or two away max! Typically vague ATO/government responses to the complaints and queries is no surprise.

One thing I'm not clear on, has this HECS and centrelink problem been an issue for just 2010 returns or has it been an issue since the IT overhaul which started in Dec 09??

Peter I really hope you cant pay your deposit on your xbox. If you are wating on your refund to buy an xbox I am very worried for you.
By the way, if Gillard is so great why does she not come out and say there is a problem, oh i forgot she is can't as she has to go for an audition for the next series of Kath and Kim or there is an upcoming election would not want to have egg on her face.

Its quite a joke that i read people having a go at other people about their finances. Some people rely on tax tim refunds for all sorts of reasons - so how about the 'do-gooders - people who think there all that' just but out and concern yourself with getting a life. The ATO has an obligation to to the tax payers every year and the tax-payers have an obligation to the ATO. It is only fair, that if you pay your taxes as your suppose(on time), then it is only fair that you receive your refund with 14 days! Check whats new - ATO Website where the Commisioner blows it from his behinds and states all the issues have been rectified and that HECS related and SFSS related problems have been dealt with and people should be receiing their refunds/assessments today - 30th July 2010. Shame Commisioner - Quit your post like you should have years ago and get yourself a job as a sruiker or something.... because thats all your good for.
For the people working in ATO call centre and have a terrible attitude: news alert """"" If you hate your job so much.. LEAVE.. and go on the dole"""""" I too am a honest hardworking tax payer who has been waiting 3 weeks and have received no information. The word out is that there is a computer glitch... That glitch by the way was noticed 6 months ago and supposedly fixed in April.. Stop the lies ATO and tell people the truth. Only then, will the abusive calls and emails stop. People have rights in this country, and you should be held accountiable for your actions.
Remember, if your return is over 30 days late, please make sure you receive ATO interest as you are entitled too....
Good luck to every honest tax-payer waiting for their refund... Hopefully it will be there in the next few days!!!

Somebody Needs To Audit The Australian Taxation Office.

The 24hr self help line is an abysmal example of a service that is supposed to provide users with answers, A recorded message that tells you what you already know- when your tax was lodged, and that they are processing it. Really? What kind of help is that? Oh wait, they did provide some useful information and tools to help the user understand what they can do next, "please do not ring back until (insert date that is past the 14 day processing time" so we don't bother the extremely overworked computer providing such useful information.

The multiple answers given to me by staff at the ATO regarding my lodgement could easily be a script for a new comedy show. How can one department provide multiple and quite different answers to the same question? Where is my tax return?

At first they were still processing the lodgement. Then, they needed to check it as it needed manual processing and I was informed that it could take some time. Finally, I was told that it was approved and was clear of any errors or faults. However, and yes there is a big however. The ATO are sending the refunds in batches. My refund is apparently ready to be sent out by the reserve bank and is in a queue. The money should (and i admire their intelligent use of the word) be in my account within 30 days.

This completely baffles me. I have already waited 28 days and now they expect me to wait a possible 30 more?

I wonder if I owed the ATO money, would I be able to use their same excuses? I'm just processing your request. Please do not ring me until I want to pay you. And finally... I will pay you. However, please wait until I am ready to do so.

May I suggest for all who have been waiting for longer than 28 days and have tried to resolve the issue with the ATO, that you make a complaint to your local member of parliament, as well as lodging a formal complaint with the ombudsman.
http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/pages/making-a-complaint/

Do not be complacent or apathetic. It is disgusting that your own tax-payer money (millions) is being used on IT projects that are not being tested before being put into production for critical national functions like tax refunds. I do not care if it is labor or liberal, it is simply INCOMPETENT and lacking leadership. From the latest update, how dare they use live data to test systems..How can we have confidence that our refunds are actually correct ? "At the end of every financial year, the ATO goes though the process of updating its software, mainly to take account of any changes to the tax laws for the previous year. The new software has to be loaded, tested and verified." This is an admission of incompetence and incorrect IT governance.
I am an IT professional, get no benefits from the government whatsoever and pay over $30,000 in taxes. The least I could receive is some respect at tax time.

I did my tax on 11th and still haven't received my refund, did my husbands a week later and he has received his last week. I have no hecs debts or anything like that so what the hold up is I don't know. Waiting but getting so impatient.

the ATO updated thier IT systems to Siebel at the start of the year. This is a CRM program that is riddled with issues and is known to be useless. Just ask Telstra. Optus trialled it then dumped it like a sack of spuds.

Lodged on 6th July. Hecs/Under Threshold...
Just checked bank... Nothing! Given up with ATO, if i ever have a debt or ever are requested to supply info, that can garnish my wages or whatever... What a joke!

Lodged my tax return on the 10th, have a HECS debt and to save money I didn't claim the tax free threshold. I've just bought a house and for my loan to be approved I need that cash... I could potentially miss out on the house because of the tax. They should have let us know. I have to send this article to my mortgage broker, because nothing formal has been given to the public from the ATO. People would be alot happier if something was said in the beginning.

Did my etax 3 weeks ago and still nothing in the bank. I'm going to write to federal MP vent my anger. This is a federal dept stuff up, so he should be able to do something. Perhaps a good time to demand before the election: sort it out and you get my vote!

Someone must be held accountable and must resign over this mess, even if it has to be the commissioner.

The ATO haven't even bother to update their website to be upfront with the public about this mess. They still have it on their website that it takes 2 weeks for etax returns to be processed !
WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY ???????

They have also turned off their phones, so it is impossible to speak to anyone from their office. How convenient for them and how INCONVENIENT to the public they're supposed to be serving !!

Lodged 2 x returns on July 1 via E tax. My refund in the bank by the 20th July, as for the wife with a minor Hecs debt no refund to date.
Rang ATO and they tell you to ring back after 20th July. Then recording on the 20th July changes to ring back after the 31st July as still processing...??Rang back on 1st Aug recorded message advisers further action required before refund can be sent...???, then ATO tries to connect you with an ATO customer service rep, who never seems to pick up the phone?? No e-mail, no phone call, no press release, no info on hold up what's so ever....??
Vote Liberal!

I lodged mine on the 13th of July. Applied for financial hardship and rang them continuously. I finally received a call today saying that they have put the refund into my account this morning. It took 21 days on a financial hardship claim!! And there is still nothing in my account...better be in there by tomorrow!

I'm so glad to hear other people who are having the same issue. I lodged my very straight forward return on the 2nd of July and still nothing. Like so many of you, called the automated hotline, mostly didn't work, but also told me not to call until the 1st. Called again, it automatically put me through to a person in their call centre who was very dismissive and very rude. She told me that mine would come through any day, I do not believe her now. I don't blame the goverment, but I have heard on here the word 'siebel' - which is a crm system, that system is rediculous and problematic. The least they could do is be honest with us. They make me feel like I am the one with the issue!

What I want to know is why the bigger news organisations aren't reporting this and interviewing the ATO on our behalf?

Still waiting..lodged 12th jul...I know i gotta wait for my tax..rang centrelink bout my supps..and got told that my supps amount had to be sent back to ATO to see if I owe any tax!! its turning into a big nasty circle!! I got told I should get those by the end of next week..yea my ass

I did my tax via etax on the 10th of July. I don't have hecs or any centerlink payments. I usually get my tax pretty quick every year...I have tried to call sooo many times and I either get the stupid automated message of don't call back until after the 8th of August or I try to wait to actually talk to someone and then they say sorry they are having delays and hang up on me. I just got a new job and usually catch public transport to work, now I need to drive. I have organized to buy a friends car and am waiting for my refund to get the whole amount.... So sick of checking my netbank a thousand times a day..... UNFAIR!

What an utter shambles!

Forgetting my personal circumstances which clearly show a refund credited to my account on 2nd August (via the Business Portal),.

It is the utter dishonesty I find so appalling,. The website still shows a processing time of 14 days for etax lodgment.

At least acknowledge there is a mistake and notify the public!

Like others on this blogg, basic simple tax return ..... NO HECS ..... NO LANDLORD STUFF.... NO HOME BUSSINESS STUFF.... bog simple basic tax return... get the same tax agent as for the last ten years .... usual dedcutions...... ...

I rang the ato and apparently my return was finalised today (coincidentally when I called today). Was told it should be in my account tomorrow, Friday or Monday. I submitted etax on 5th July. Don't need the money but require a definite answer!

I understand that this is a busy time for all companis and businesses alike. I also know that if this were MY business a notice would have gone out as soon as the problem was found to cut the complaint calls in half. An automated service such as their phone service would be much more useful if it said more than call back in 14days after your time of call.
Customer Service at the ATO is disgusting and I Understand that they would have to put up with the complaint calls coming in but its part of their job.
I've been waiting 28 days now for my return - 2 more days and I get a small percentage added on top. I read the notice on the ATO website and they are expectng to have all payments that require EFT and have a HECS debt in bank accounts by the end of next week.

What phone number do you call to actually SPEAK to a PERSON, not an automated service?

I hope this info on the tax website applies to this situation. I am waiting on a big refund, submitted on the 2nd of July - NOW 34 DAYS!! Will be slightly less p*ssed off if I get extra money...

Will interest be paid on overdue refunds?

Yes, it’s a normal part of our operations no matter what the situation. If we take more than 30 days after your income tax return is lodged to issue a notice of assessment and that assessment entitles you to a refund of tax, we will pay interest.

Interest is paid for the period beginning from the 30th day after the day on which we received the return and ends on the day the notice of assessment is issued.

Where such interest is payable, people do not need to ask for it – we will calculate the interest. Interest will usually be paid with the delayed refund.

The interest is paid at the prescribed rate which is currently 3.95% (1 January 2010 to 31 March 2010) and 4.16% (1 April 2010 to 30 June 2010).

How do I know whether I am entitled to interest on my tax refund and when will it be paid?

Many taxpayers whose refund was delayed by our recent processing problems will be paid interest

Incompetent bums. I helped to get the system launched in the late 80s and it has worked pretty well for me up until the time some clown has tried to improve it. I wonder what consultant they paid a squillion to so they could f... it up.

I know people who work at the ATO.
Just before the end of the financial year they were instructed to break privacy laws to patch up incorrect data on 2009 returns to get them done.
A few refused to comply with the order.

I also work for the ATO, in the customer call centre, and believe me, we are as frustrated as you are.

I know you don't want to hear that. Nor do you believe it. But we know just as little as what you know. In fact, we probably know less. I have no idea what the automated system says, we haven't been told.

We do give stock answers to enquires because we HAVE to. I wish I could tell clients when they would get their refunds. I really do. The truth is... WE DON'T EVEN KNOW!!! The system that we see (at call centre level) doesn't tell us. My heart goes out to people who are struggling and need the money to make ends meet. I know what it's like to struggle. I'm on no 'high-rollers' salary and I live from paycheck to paycheck too.

We have to follow a system that tells us the generic answers to give to clients calling enquiring about their returns. We had not been told anything about HECS creating hold ups, or anything like this.

Reading this post makes me upset and lose my faith in the government.

I am one of the rare call centre girls who always tries to be chirpy and helpful. I know people are angry because they've been pushed around and lied to and I hate that about the system. I go as far as I can to help a client while still keeping my job. I hope I have spoken to some of you on the phone and provided a service that you have been pleased with, even if I couldn't give you a concrete answer.

And also: Siebel is horrible. It breaks down ALL THE TIME. It makes our jobs hard and frustrating. My partner works for Telstra and theirs sucks, too.

I hope, for all our sakes, that this gets cleared up soon. I'm tired of feeling like I want to cry when I can't help people. It really and truly does break my heart.

ATO Phone Monkey, thank you for being upfront and honest about the problems relating to delays. I guess what most people were frustrated about were the HECS and HELP consumers being taken off for automatic processing when lodging through e-tax. It is frustrating especially when you have limited money and children. However I have not rung up and abused staff, it was comforting to know though that i'm not the only one, and whoever created the Whirlpool thread did ALOT of people a favour by giving a place to vent their frustrations. I certainly did not ring up and abuse any ATO call centre member, as it's obvious that call centre members are not the direct cause of the delays (logic is hard for some). Your honesty is admirable.

lodged on the 14 of July,still nothing..i asked a hardship treatment..i can see they will add to my problems..I am on workers compensation,Insurance cut my payments 2months ago..i am late in rent,in debts,and dont ask how i am feeding my family..Government agencies have tendency in this country to take everyone for idiots..They lie,they give you false infos,muck you around,take a malignant plaisure to hurt you as much as they can..Go on workers comp and you will see what i mean..I am upset that nothing can be fighted for,that the more you complaint the more you take in the face..we all wait for our money and i wish all to have luck.

I lodged mine 12th July and still nothing. I do have students loans, but not everyone that is waiting for their tax even has these. They need to just tell people their is an issue. The money does belong to us so therefore the ATO owe us. They are quick to take it out each month, so when it is time for them to cough it up, I expect that they do it in the promised time frame. It is almost 4 weeks and it is ridiculous, as no one seems to know what is really happening. I just want my money.

Oh God Monkey, your job must suck, I feel really sorry for you right now!!! Put in my Financial Hardship claim but still nothing. I feel bad for calling but because there has been no press release I am scared my return is just lost somewhere in the system.

Are you saying after 30 days there is a better chance of it being sorted out? Sounds like you guys have your hands tied too.

Please add me to the angry customers list too! Its been nearly a month and i am still waiting for my tax >,<

It's never been this bad before, someone must resign over this, but probably will get swept under the rug. I also usually vote Labour but they have proven to be incompetent beuracrats. Let's get them out of government!

mine was done on 5th july still nothing , alls they say is they will put up a escalation were some1 will contact me within 14 days, last 2 years has only taken 10 days for a return

To all you ATO workers, I am also waiting ofr mine, but understand how you feel, getting the abuse. It isn't your fault I understand that. In my job I cop it all the time due to things being cancelled or deferred and the clients think it is all your fault. Keep smiling nad fingers crossd things pick up soon.

32 days later no return , called again , 15th phone call as i call daily. They told me its been escalated and it may be another 28 days.. WTF ATO

will someone please do something

Well ATO phone monkey I must be one of your colleagues as I am also on the ATO phones and love my job there. I am sorry some people have not had their returns as quickly as they are used to as in prior years. This is the first time we have used the new system so I guess it has been a testing time for all. I just wanted to publish a few links to the ATO website which might help some people understand the tax return process. It is not something that spits out the computer overnight and the 14 day service standard has always been 28 days for us if you lodged in the first 2 weeks of July because the new system has to be tested and we didn't even start full processing of returns until 9th July this year. This obviously means the majority of refunds don't start to flow until the last week or two. The system is taking up to 30 days for some returns. Not everyone's though. To the people who want to know why we don't tell you anything if you ring us? Well we don't actually know the exact amount and the date it will issue until the very final stages of processing and even then it can be stopped at the last minute if it needs to. Seems simple to be if something hasn't finalised yet we do not yet know the exact outcome. Please allow 30 days at the moment.

The Commissioner should not be sacked. He has been transparent about processing updates. It is all on the ATO website.

http://www.ato.gov.au/corporate/content.asp?doc=/content/00250973.htm (From last week).

http://www.ato.gov.au/corporate/content.asp?doc=/content/00251636.htm (From Fri 6th Aug).

I am disappointed there is this much hatred in the community with the ATO when we are doing our best to pay millions of people in a short space of time and it is a wonderful organisation to work for regardless of our role.

The saying that man is his own worst enemy is so true. We can only be as efficient as the computer technology we invent allows us to be.

Hey guys, refund is in the bank today. I previously posted as still waiting. I submitted on the 5th July and have a hecs debt. When i called the ato and automated service yesterday they both said assessment was finalised. It took 33 days. Hope you guys get yours soon.

Most call center jobs suck because the company behind it is phoney, lied, cheats, greedy, irresponsible. Until recently I worked for PC Tools Pty Ltd. Many think it is an Australian success story. Well let me tell you how that success work, each time a customer subscribed to a PC Tools product, it get set on annual automatic renewal settings without customers knowledge, worse still, there are so many customers who would renew but ended up subscribing to a new license instead. So over the years a customers may have and paying for 3 or more licenses for the same product. There are also many people who stopped using the a product but still being charged annually because many people don't know they are on hidden automatic renewal setting till years later and they called us. PC Tools then at most will refund the recent renewal charge that is less than 2 months old and would not refund anything else older than that.

Most PC Tools products are not even good second-grade quality but bloatware which either slow down your computer or screw your computer up. What made me feel all the more bad inside is I cannot tell paying customers that there is this or that program that is better and FREE that they can use.

I pity all the americans and the locals that are sucked into paying for products from PC Tools. If PC Tools products sound good or popular for you, it is only because of advertising and marketing, nothing more.

This my friends is how PC Tools owners Simon Clausen and his partner Peter someone became rich 150 Million a piece when Symantec is losing market share and bought it.

What has this got to do with ATO and our tax return? Nothing much except Most call center jobs suck because the company behind it is phoney, lied, cheats, greedy, irresponsible.

As to blaming the incompetency of ATO and attributing it to the Labour Party or Gillard is plain simple and stupid. You think Liberal or the Green or (where is??) the Democratic party as the installed government will provide a better ATO????? Think again, Liberal will howard screw us all all over again, the green may tax you more to save the trees and sh*it I really don't know what the democrates will do since the good old days before them bastards assassinated Natasha Kinsky as their then leader....

The labour party of course is also pretty sh*itty, they are just the lesser of the two evils for me for now that's all. Not a good way to hold an election after their backhanded backstabbing assassination of Kenny, you bastards!

Kenny I suspected has a mild case of borderline autism tendency as shown by his quite total liberal lack of concerns toward the opinions of those fancy self-thinking as kingmaker ninjas in the labour party when come to implementing his political policy. You killed Kenny, you bastards!!! lol

Anway... yea where is my etax return ATO!!!!

I lodged mine via etax on July 16th with a HECS dept. Still nothing. I'm glad that I'm not the only one having to endure such a long wait. I'm not relying on this return as much as others may be, but it would be rather nice to have it back sometime soon. The lack of communication from their end shows a lack of respect for the millions of taxpayers awaiting their refund. Poor form ATO.

34 days and waiting

Lodged my return via e-tax on 7th July still waiting waiting waiting. Didn't know about the ATOs sh*t fest just taking solace in now knowing that I'm not the only one.

there is of course the possibility that all of us here, including myself that haven't received our tax return yet is because, be accurate or inaccurate, ATO is reviewing our "claims" in our return and we are placed in a auditing queue and will be notified once there is a fee slot to audit us one by one.

Like most of you I lodged mine weeks ago and still haven't got it.. What's bitching and moaning and having a go at each
Other going to achieve? Nothing.. Just be patient and happy when you get it, geez.
@ATO Staff.. I work in a telstra centre myself and I feel your pain with having to work with Seibel my friends.. Good luck..
It only gets worse :(

http://ato.gov.au/corporate/content.asp?doc=/content/00251636.htm

An update from the man himself, interesting how he states that over the weekend of 30th July / 1st Aug they caught up....everyone I know who have loedged their 2010 return via e tax and even tax agents are still waiting...including myself

Poor form...why arn't Today Tonight or the like doinga story on this...it would be a ratings winner

Ditto here, told centrelink didnt have to do tax return on the 1st of july and lodged hubbys return on the 8th he got his return in a week but i am STILL waiting for centrelink and ATO to finalise my pay. Ring centrelink they are waiting for hubbys info from the ATO and ring ATO they say they have already sent it through!! This is bull, my hubby lost his job 3 months ago and we are swimming in bills i need this supplement. COME ON!!!

Lodged 5th July - no tax return. I extend sympathy to those who live week by week and have budgeted the refund. Im over waiting. The ATO are feeding the public lies hoping theyre crap system speeds up. ATO you need more monkeys

Linda.. call daily.... they are fobbing people off as they cant keep up.

Hello -

I am keen to speak with anyone who has experienced significant delay with their 2010 return and who would be willing to speak to media about their frustration.

I can be reached on 02 6277 3713.

Kind Regards,
Evelyn

To those such as Brian Westlake.....how about a single mum, with a disabled child, working full time who recently escaped domestic violence and had to start from scratch again financially. 10 months on I have a notice to vacate my rental property and desperately rely on my return to pay my bond!! I filed for hardship on Aug 3rd and still nothing. My hardship was approved but its nearly 9 days since. I cannot get into my next property until I pay the bond and I have to hand the keys in for my existing unit tomorrow.....HOMELESS now until I get my refund. The real estate were good enough to let me put my furniture in the new property at least.
I have always worked hard and pity those who have no empathy for others not as fortunate as themselves.
Well Brian, I hope you are comfortable tomorrow night in your warm home grinning at the misfortune of others while my kids and I are sleeping in my car.

All the problems are that the system rejected our refunds. They manually need to enter the info. This will take weeks on end. No easy way about it. The lie is that they so call "escalate", more lies. All this means is they will place your file in the queue until they get to it. I read somewhere that theres around 100,000 applications.

return was in acount this morning on the 40th day also did have hecs debt, but put a complant in with ato on monday 5 days later return is here, good luck everybody

@Evelyn, WOW. TT or ACA getting in on the act. We must be getting good stories on the media front soon. (aka...utter rubbish that most of the population believes in). There was a glitch, it''s getting fixed, get over it.

Those people that are having a whinge because their tax return is 1 month late. As others have said, properly planning and knowledge of how to budget and you wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. I wonder how many people that are having a whinge, instead of buying $50 worth of booze every week, saved it, would be in a better position today? (I'll give you a hint, probably all of 'em).

*yawn*

@howtobudget post 120,
go choke some Dick

god forbid Mr Budgie Smugglers should win the election if this gets out but sad to say Labour has lost my vote they still had until this cock up.
Totally agree that the biggest problem has been the deliberate lack of communication by the ato, senior complaints staff member said to when I asked but when will I get my return you say has been finished but you still can't release due to HECS debt stuff up "I can't tell you I mean how long is a piece of string" What the?
To all those tossers lecturing people on budgets and blah blah, with personalties like that you would be able to save tons of money sitting on the couch alone 24 7 because you are so dull and bitter nobody wants to spend anytime with you, maybe you need a few drinks to chill out. As KRudd would say "Fair Shake of the Sauce Bottle"! I have studied at uni for 9 years and work bloody hard 60 plus hours a week as an underpaid health professional to support a child after his Dad died 9 years ago and am owed $4000 by ATO since submitting on 5 July after initial IT error stopped me even submitting on 1 July. I have given notice on my apartment and rented a new house but need that money for new bond and months rent (as won't get this one back till move out) and could end up homeless because of this as they have found tenants for the property I am in and must leave! This is thru NO FAULT of my own and my local fed MP said they can do nothing as the government is in caretaker mode!!!! Whose running the country then???? We must get media attention for this and DEMAND IMMEDIATE ACTION.

Hi ATO Phone Monkey,
I'm a Family Assistance Phone Monkey.. I understand your frustration.

I do my best to try and help people, as that's pretty much the only thing I like about my job.

For that reason, it's really frustrating when people abuse and yell at you. Of course, their experiences with the system mean they really don't believe that their are some who really want to help as much as they can.

They have you guys towing the line very well though- I rang once to check on my return (lodged on the 11th July) and suggested there might be problems as I had observed alot of 'stuck' transactions between FAO and the ATO. Not a murmur though.

I understand the job and system is complex and the wait is frustating. Please don't yell at those on the phones though- there is seriously no point whatsover, it won't do anything except raise your blood pressure.

I thought I was being organised when I visited my accountant in the third week of July with my tax paperwork and got my return lodged electronically.

In a perfect world I was supposed to be receiving my healthy refund within a few weeks. I called the accountant's office a few days ago to find out what was the cause of the delay. It turns out none of his clients had received anything from the ATO, even the ones who lodged it early July. To the do-gooders who think that anyone cash-strapped is hopeless with financial planning, you obviously don't have to look after anyone but yourselves.

That's why every bean you spend you have written down in your diary as pathologically organised, constipated people do. The rest of us have a life, and it's very expensive to live it. Things come up, our children need things, cars break down, etc, etc.

It's not all black and white. In a perfect world, we would have extra money aside for emergencies, and sometimes the refund gets us out of trouble, even temporarily. If obsessively organised people never have this problem, good for them, they just have to realise they're in the minority.

let me join the long list of people who are fed up with the ATO. I lodged on the 15th of july and my partner on the 16th. I have no HELP or SFFS obligation nor do i pay child support. My partner does have a HELP obligation, he recieved his refund within the 14 days and yet i am still waiting. I have recieved my reconcilliation from centrelink so they have obviously been given the details of my return so i don't get what the hold up is. I called the ATO this morning and spoke to a person who has apparently put it through as an escalated claim but from reading on here that doesn't mean much. I know it's not the call centres peoples fault bit seriously when you say wel it's only a couple of days past the 30 days, it makes me want to rip your head off. I like many others budget my return into our family budget and at the momoent my car is barely working and as i have every other year i have school fees to pay. This year our unexpected bills where school camps, both of our daughters are meant ot be going but how do i tell them i can't afford to pay? I think the camps are way too pricey but it's their first and mi might add last so i'd really love for them to go with all of their friends. And before anyone says get of your arse and work i do! I currently work 3 days a week in a nursing home for a pitifull $17pr hour. It costs me money to work in child care fees and in out of school hour fees. Yeah maybe i need to get a better job but i love what i do

Add me to the list.

And to Learn How to Budget and Just me, you really a bunch of preaching wankers! If you're not worried about your tax returns then what are you doing on this forum??!! If I lived at home with mummy I probably would't need my return either.

I lodged my return 1 July, and am still waiting. I called the ATO 2 weeks after it was lodged and was told by a lovely gentleman that my refund was finalized and I should see the funds in my account by 23 July....NOTHING. So I called back, after that date and was told by a very rude woman that the previous customer service person was wrong and should not have given me a date. Then was told to call back after the 30 days was up. I did exactly that and was again told my refund was finalized but the NOA had not been sent out yet so my refund was not deposited and may take another 48 hours for someone to call me back in 48 hours. I asked to speak to a Supervisor who then told me she would "escalate" my case, and that fingers crossed the funds may go in , in a few days. She did also warn me that it could take 14 days, as that was the standard turn around time for an escalation. So if it did not go in sooner, it should defenitely go in by the 14th day! So today I call because again no refund. This time, I get this person who explains to me that escalation time frame is NOT 14 days, but 21! I explained that I previously spoke to a Supervisor who assured me 14 days. He repeated it was 21 days and that I should not see any results before the 23rd.He even went on to tell me the Supervisor was mistaken, and that he was defenitely giving me the correct imformation. I've been given 5 different possible dates for the deposit, and each one telling me the last person gave me incorrect information. So who are we to believe? If a Supervisor is giving out the wrong information or a regular customer service person is telling us something else...what are we meant to do??Who are we to trust?? I just want an honest answer, and not a bunch of empty dates and empty promises!!!!

I can say I received mine within the 2 weeks time bracket however it was less than I was expecting from work my accountant had worked out. I do have a hecs debt but do not understand why it would be a few hundred $ short. Does anyone know why this would be?

we are still waiting 49days and still nothing this is a joke i just rang the complaints line and they are going to find out what is going on so fingers crossed we will have it soon
what a joke the tax office is

hi wow one good thing about see this web sit makes me feel abit better about my bf not gettin hes back yet as i was worrie i may have done something wrong but really could not have, i done my sisters and she got hers back in 2 week but still nuffin on Dz so Anyone know Really how long or just a guess ?

I am a married mother of three children. I decided to go back to school to study nursing so that I could get a better paying job and not have to work the long hours. I have been waiting over three weeks for my tax return. The return itself is not huge but the supplementary from Centrelink is. They can not pay the supplementary until the ATO confirms that I do not owe any money. I know I don't but I still have to keep waiting. I am at the point where I am desperate I budget aas best I can but everyone has things that they put off to tax refund time and I am no different. To all the idiots who think that we should manage our money better get stuffed I'm sick of telling my kids they can't have any treats because mummy and daddy don't have the money!!!

I received my refund within the 14 days without any problems. Did have a compulsory help debt.

Posted mine in 15July and had a letter saying
Notice of assesment refund been forwarded to account
Well thats been over two weeks Hello have you paid the money Yes or No.. Like some i can do with it at the moment like to pay bills etc .. and when i call they say call back after the 15sep
WTF is going on.. Makes me wanna give up and move back to UK

Lodged my tax return through tax agent 20 july, was advised by tax agent refund had been processed from what he could see on his system on 09 August and should be issued within couple days. Nothing received. Was told by ATO not to call until after the 19 August. After 19 August was advised they would esculate, now automated system says Notice of assessment will be issues shortly call back if not received in ten days. Im confused however as when I have money owing to child support agency, who have confirmed that they intercepted the amount they needed from my tax refund and have cleared that debt. However when I spoke to the ATO they advised, they were still processing the return. Wouldnt you think that the child support agency wouldnt be able to have their percentage until the return was finalised. Family Assistance office also will not release my supplements until they confirm I dont owe tax to the tax office. If the Child Support agency can confirm I dont owe money to the tax office, then why hasnt that information also gone to the family assistance office. Im not stressed about the refund as such, Im more concerned about the supps. Hopefully everything falls into place soon :)

Fellow (grossly) delayed tax lodgers,

I too am immensly disappointed with the service the Australian taxpayer has received throughout this debarcle. But what will, and IT will, disgust me most of all is the complete absence of accountabillity of the bureaucrats who oversee these public servancies.
Who and how was the new tax software chosen? Shouldn't such a contract, no doubt worth hundreds of millions, guarantee efficiency, not kill it?! Clearly, product PROMOTION, not product QUALITY prevails.
Frivilous blame (HECS claims) which does not coincide with the actual concerns (customers without HECS too?) simply reinforce the pollution of dishonesty that has existed here, even in a country like our's. Where's the transparency?

Cloak and dagger bureaucrats win... again

So I'm wondering if anyone who has submitted a comment has since received their tax return? I did mine on the 9th July and considering that it's the 9th September, I'm still waiting!!! Should it really take two months? I used an accountant - who keeps telling me to 'wait' - but I think that I've been patient enough.

has and one got theres yet who has posted ??????

i have not got mine yet lodged on the 3rd of july
and sick to death of all the horse s..t i have been fed!!!!
Anyone else had to wait this long??????????

Sent mine in July 19th (I have a Mac), I didn't have the benefit of being able to call until 56 days were up. Only to be told, possibly innocently or insensitively, by the operator "Oh, it's been sitting there waiting for someone to look at it, wow that's a bit out of our service range. Would you like me to escalate it for you?". I think you can all possibly quite accurately guess what the conversation was going through my head and yes you would be right if you added a few swear words. I did ask, once I had taken a deep breath, if she could tell me if there was a problem with it that I could fix? She said no it was fine and that someone will call me in the next 2 weeks re it's progress and I can call back in 2 weeks. She kindly asked whether there was anything else she could help me with. I have been brought up to always be polite but, for gods sake just give me a date, yes or a no, good or bad!!!!

Well I have no complaints about ATO, I have previously been going through many personal hardships, both physically, emotionally and especially financially. The ATO have been more humane than centrelink. It wasn't the ATO that held up my refund, It was "AUSTRALIA POST " I had my cheque coming in the mail, my accountant informed me. Then it wasn't delivered, so I had the cheque cancelled. Nine days later it appears out of nowhere, stamped by Australia Post eight days prior????????????Now I have to wait for another ???????2-3 weeks for a cheque to be re-issued by the ATO. Thanks to "AUSTRALIA POST" I now have an extra $300 worth of court fees for a bill I was ment to pay with my tax return and I'm on the verge of my son and I losing the roof over our heads. In my 28 years as a nurse, I have never had this much trouble getting my tax return, But I'm blaming this one on "AUSTRALIA POST."

Look at all you guys complaining, complaining,complaining.
I bet if you worked at the ATO, you would be commenting somewhat differently.
The people at the call center are not doing your tax, they are simply customer service, so spare a thought huh!!
Some countries don't even get a tax rebate, so button it and relax.
ATO has to pay millions of people, so there is a list so to speak.
I bet that half of the people that are TRULY dependent on their tax return best approach the resources of companies such as mybudget if they really cant manage

i think i might top this list. 90 sumthin days and still waiting. the ATO are a joke

all rubbish! its nearly been 3 and half months since i lodged my tax return.our money is being used to run this country

i have no bills to pay, my children and my family are all fed and clothed well, but I still think I have a right to my tax return ... where is it ato? I dont hate them just want my $2000 they owe me.

It feels so good to have been waiting for 110 days so far and when I called a little while ago, they wanted me to wait for another 6 weeks.

I guess I will be ready with my 2011 return by the time I get the refund. Or they might even pay me both of them together. LMAO.

They recieved my lodgement on the 5th, its now the 14th. Nothing yet.

i have a hecs debt. i paid over 20k in tax. my etax estimate said id get 3k back. checked bank today nd got 600$$ anyone know what i can do about this?

I have been waiting since Dec 11 for my refund and still nothing not even an update. I was relying on the refund now i am well into my overdraft!!!!