Reseller: Tax return problems are not e-tax related
- 02 August, 2010 12:26
- Comments 6
ASX-listed reseller responsible for supporting and maintaining the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) e-tax software, DWS (ASX:DWS), has claimed the software and its services are running perfectly.
According to DWS’ CFO, Lachlan Armstrong, the e-tax software has been running fine without a single complaint about the IT service provider’s work so far.
“We are aware that there have been some problems at the ATO because they’ve been widely publicised in the media,” he said. “But in terms of e-tax and the work we are doing there haven’t been any issues.
“There hasn’t been any criticism of us or indeed the program we’re responsible for.”
DWS won the $10 million tender from the ATO in September 2009. The contract lasts for three years and the ATO’s software took one year to develop.
Armstrong said his understanding was that the problems did not come from the software at all.
“It’s more to do with the processing of the returns rather than the lodgement of the returns, which is what the e-tax portal facilitates,” he said. “There is some manual stuff that needs to be done at the back end.
“We haven’t had any problems and as far as we’re aware we’ve got a happy client.”
Thousands of Australians have reportedly suffered from tax return delays, with the usual processing time blowing out from the standard 14 days.
An ATO staffer claimed there was a backlog of claims because of issues with HECS-HELP and Student Financial Supplement Scheme (SFSS) debts as well as Centrelink users.
But according to a spokesperson for the ATO, the problem had been solved and people who claimed there was a backlog were wrong. They claimed notices of assessments and refunds were issued last week.
“We did experience some minor delays processing returns for taxpayers with [HECS and SFSS] obligations,” the spokesperson said at the time. “Tax time 2010 is progressing well and we are pleased with how our new computer system is operating.
“We have already issued more than 760,000 notices of assessment and 630,000 refunds.”
Nominations for the 2012 ARN IT Industry Awards open on Tuesday, June 12.
- Bookmark this page
- Share this article
- Got more on this story? Email ARN
- Follow ARN on twitter
- Premier Media Group Fast Study
- Market Potential-Strategy Guide to the Active Archive Market
- Spectra Logic and Australian National University Success Story - March 2012
- In Search of the Long-Term Archiving Solution —Tape Continues to Be a Major Player
- Aberdeen Group: Building Business Resilience Through Active Archive
-
PRODUCTS: Aranez announces K-Leather iPad 2 case
-
Italian mathematician prepares to challenge Google
-
Facebook could buy Nokia to build 'FacePhone', expert claims
-
It's not all Doom at new media conference
-
Tech Watch: Who watches the datacentre?
Get exclusive access to ARN's news, research and invitation only events. 
Comments
Honest
I have been lodging tax return on E-tax for last few years. We have Personal Service Business income. In the Personal Service Income section when I would like to put our income details by selecting the result test questions ‘Yes” on the next screen the Etax give me message. ‘Based on your answer, you are excluded from PSI rules and NO further information is required’. Then I completed the E-tax and lodged the return. I declared all income details on the Business Activity Statement (BAS) and paid GST. We have received a letter from ATO that why there is a discrepancy amount in tax return and on the BAS statement. I explained to ATO everything in honesty and good faith. The misleading information on E-Tax misguided me to lodge our tax return, whereas ATO promote and encourage using the E-Tax software. I am not a tax account because of error of E-tax we have financial loss of superannuation amount and other expenses which were entitled to. E-tax software has failed to give information about properly lodging tax return and claiming all our entitlement.
this is what happens
Honest,
we lodged our tax returns on the 20th July via etax - we received our confirmation and reference number and I found out today that the tax returns haven't even been received by the tax office. According to the Tax office there is nothing they can do and we have to send a paper copy to them instead but according to etax its not their fault the program has lodged it and apparently its up to the ato not them to fix these errors. Tell me someone why should we have to wait all this time thinking we are having our returns processed when they haven't even gotten the files- etax wins again!!
JEREMY
There will be an election backlash to the ATO's arrogance. "You are not having any problems" People lodge there returns early as they need the money. Most returns lodged early are being delayed. The very people who should get help from the tax office are getting treated poorly by them. Is Peter Garrett in charge of the tax office???
teecee
I've been waiting 48 days for my refund ($7000) - so much for a 14 day service standard. The worst part is the misinformation. Centrelink has sent our amended income statements - so the tax return has been looked at. Rang ATO again today - usual response "call back after 14 days if you havent heard"
I know many people in this situation - it's a real problem this year, yet the media hasnt picked up on this. A new $800 million system that's about as useful as a pentium 486, surely this is another Rudd/Gillard debacle, yet nobody in the press is talking about it. I even contacted local Lib member, they didnt want to know either. The whole thing is very strange.
George
I have been waiting for my 2008/2009 return since it was lodged on 18th of June. It is almost 12 weeks since I lodged it via my tax agent. It is ludicrous to say there is no delay. They owe me money. If it was the other way around they would fine me. I would like to get some interest on this money. I was told that 780 000 returns were delayed.
i hate ato
72 days and counting AND that's after applying for financial hardship, which was supposed to speed it up, but apparently takes them another 10 days to "process". But of course when I ring all you get is a robot telling you "you return is being processed, please call back in 10 days". If this is the treatment you get when the ATO acknowledges you are suffering severe financial hardship, good luck otherwise.
Post new comment