Part 01

Overview

About us

Mission, Vision, Values

ATO Executive Committee

Organisational structure

Clients

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Commissioner of Taxation
Annual report 201415

About us

Role
The role of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is to effectively manage and shape the tax and
superannuation systems that support and fund services for Australians.
Our responsibilities include:
collecting revenue
administering the goods and services tax (GST) on behalf of the Australian states andterritories
governing a range of programs which result in transfers and benefits back to the community
administering major aspects of Australias superannuation system
custodianship of the Australian Business Register (ABR).

Outcome
We are a Commonwealth entity within the Treasury portfolio, and accountable under the
PublicService Act 1999. We have one outcome: Confidence in the administration of aspects
ofAustralias taxation and superannuation systems through helping people understand their
rights and obligations, improving ease of compliance and access to benefits, and managing
noncompliance with the law.
We deliver our outcome through 24 programs, including the ATO, Australian Business Register,
Tax Practitioner Board (TPB), Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and
19administered programs. The TPB and ACNC operate independently of the ATO but are
includedin our program structure and under our outcome.

Ministers
This year we served four ministers:
Treasurer, the Hon. Joe Hockey MP, from 1 July 2014
Assistant Treasurer, the Hon. Josh Frydenberg MP, from 23 December 2014
Acting Assistant Treasurer, Senator the Hon. Mathias Cormann, from 1 July 2014
to23December 2014
Minister for Small Business, the Hon. Bruce Billson MP, from 1 July 2014

Mission

Vision

Values

We contribute to
the economic and
socialwellbeing of
Australians by fostering
willing participation
in ourtaxand
superannuation systems

We are a leading tax

and superannuation
administration known
for our contemporary
service, expertise
andintegrity

We are impartial,
committed to service,
accountable, respectful
and ethical

Easy for
people to
participate

Contemporary
and tailored
service

Goals

Purposeful
and respectful
relationships

Professional
and productive
organisation

Strategies
Build a culture that embodies our values and transforms the client experience
Simplify interactions, maximise automation and reduce costs
Connect with the community and other agencies in meaningful ways
Influence policy and law design for more certain outcomes
Use data in a smarter way to improve decisions, services and compliance
Reshape the workforce to optimise capability and performance

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Commissioner of Taxation
Annual report 201415

ATO Executive Committee

Our ATO Executive Committee sets the strategic direction and monitors
delivery ofourcommitments to government and the community.

Neil
Olesen

Frances
Cawthra

Geoff
Leeper PSM

Chris
Jordan AO

Jacqui
Curtis

Commissioner
Chris Jordan AO
Chris has broad and lengthy
experience in tax policy
and law development and
implementation. He has held
influential roles to the private
sector, as well as government
advisor roles to both Labor
and Coalition governments.

Chriss term as
Commissioner of
Taxation and Registrar
of theAustralian
Business Register runs
from 1January2013
to31December 2019.

He was Chair of the Board

of Taxation and a member of
theboard since its inception.
He also served as Chair of the
Business Tax Working Group
and Chair of the New Tax
System Advisory Board.
Chris has more than
30years of experience in
thetaxprofession. He started

Andrew
Mills

Sue
Sinclair

his accounting career with

the firm Arthur Andersen,
and was a senior lecturer in
taxation at Sydneys University
of Technology for a few years,
before occupying a position at
KPMG for over two decades.
Chris has a Master of Laws
and a Bachelor of Commerce
and Law. He is a Fellow of
the Institute of Chartered
Accountants, the Tax Institute
and the Australian Institute of
Company Directors.
Chriss term as Commissioner
of Taxation and Registrar
of the Australian
Business Register runs
from 1January2013 to
31December 2019.

Overview
ATO Executive Committee

Second Commissioners

Geoff Leeper PSM

Neil Olesen

Andrew Mills

Geoff heads the ATOs People,

Systems and Services Group.
He is responsible for the
ATOs finance, service delivery,
information technology,
debt, human resources and
corporate activities. He also
has oversight of the Australian
Business Register and
Standard Business Reporting.

Neil has overall responsibility

for the ATOs Compliance
Group. This includes delivery
of services to assist people
to participate in the tax and
superannuation systems
and to comply with their
obligations. The Compliance
Group delivers the active
compliance program to
identify potential instances
ofnoncompliance.

Andrew leads the Law Design

and Practice Group and has
overall responsibility for the
ATOs law practice, including
law interpretation, dispute
resolution, and our role in
policy and law design.

Geoff has worked in the

Australian Public Service
forover 30 years, with
seniorexecutive experience in
policy development, program
design and implementation,
service delivery, and
corporatemanagement.
Geoff is passionate about
government services delivering
better outcomes for citizens,
and is committed to making
the tax and superannuation
systems easy to use and as
effective as possible.
Geoff holds a Bachelor
ofEconomics (Honours).
Geoffs term as Second
Commissioner runs from
13 September 2012 to
12September 2019.

Neil has over 30 years

of experience in tax and
superannuation administration,
including designing and
implementing new tax laws,
helping to ensure compliance
with existing laws, and leading
major change initiatives. Over
the last decade, Neils roles
have focused on corporate
governance, stakeholder
relations, superannuation
andcompliance.
Neil holds a Bachelor degree
in Accounting and a Graduate
Diploma in Taxation Law.
Neils term as Second
Commissioner runs from
1July 2013 to 30 June 2020.

Andrew has over 30 years

ofexperience in tax, including
periods in the ATO, commerce
and the tax profession.
Andrew was a director of
thespecialist national tax
firm Greenwoods & Freehills
for over 20 years, and was
managing director there
from 2006 to 2011. He has
contributed to improvements
in tax law and administration
throughout his career.
Andrew holds a Bachelor
ofBusiness degree, a Master
of Laws and a Graduate
Diploma in Tax Law. He is a
member of the International
Fiscal Association and
was awarded Chartered
Tax Adviser of the Year by
TheTaxInstitute in2015.
Andrews term as Second
Commissioner runs from
12 December 2013 to
11December 2020.

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Commissioner of Taxation
Annual report 201415

First Assistant Commissioner

ATOCorporate

First Assistant Commissioner

ATO People

Sue Sinclair

Jacqui Curtis

Sue joined the ATO in

July2006 and was appointed
First Assistant Commissioner
for ATO Corporate in
July2013.

Jacqui was appointed First

Assistant Commissioner, ATO
People in September 2013.

ATO Corporate takes the

leadership role in governance
and stewardship of the
organisation and works directly
with the Commissioners
and senior leaders to build
a valuesbased culture of
transparency and accountability.
Sue is responsible for internal
governance, external relations
and conformance, general
counsel, communications,
public affairs, digital delivery,
information management,
internal audit, fraud prevention
and internal investigation.
Prior to joining the ATO,
Sue held a range of senior
positions across the New
South Wales public sector,
including in corporate
services, law, policy
development and operations.
Sue is a lawyer and holds a
Bachelor of Economics degree
from the University of Sydney
and a Master of Management
from the Macquarie Graduate
School of Management.

She is responsible for

delivering an enterprisewide
human resource management
service which supports ATO
employees by providing
a sustainable, open and
accountable workplace.
Jacqui is also responsible
for leading the Reinvention
Program Management Office
and the change management
driving this key reform.
ATO People supports the
organisation by providing the
highest quality advice, services
and leadership on all elements
of the people system.

Chief Finance Officer

Frances Cawthra
Frances was appointed Chief
Finance Officer in January
2012. Her portfolio includes
the ATOs management
and financial accounting
functions, procurement and
contract management, as
well as property and facilities
management services.
Frances is a key advisor
tothe Commissioner and
the ATO Executive, ensuring
that organisational strategy
is informed by a financial
perspective. At an operational
level, ATO Finance provides
robust reporting and insightful
business intelligence, an
understanding of obligations,
and compliance with
Commonwealth requirements.

Before joining the ATO, Jacqui

was General Manager of the
People Capability Division
withthe Department of Human
Services, where she led the
departments leadership and
change, people development,
workforce planning and
research functions.

She has been a key change

agent, continuing to reduce
red tape, proactively engaging
and working with colleagues
across government to
help deliver more effective
outcomes for the organisation,
and managing the progress of
the corporatisation of finance
services.

Jacqui holds an
ExecutiveMasters in Public
Administration from the
Australian National University
and is a Fellow of Australian
Human Resource Institute.

Frances has previously held

senior roles in the private
sector in a range of industries,
including retail, energy and
financial services.

Overview
Organisational structure

Organisational structure
Figure 1.1 Our organisational structure, at 30 June 2015
Commissioner of Taxation
Registrar of the Australian Business Register
Chris Jordan AO
Compliance Group
Second Commissioner
Neil Olesen

People, Systems and ServicesGroup

Second Commissioner
Geoff Leeper

Tax Practitioner, Lodgment

Strategy and Compliance Support
Deputy Commissioner
Erin Holland PSM

ATO Corporate
First Assistant Commissioner
Sue Sinclair

Indirect Tax
Deputy Commissioner
James OHalloran
Private Groups and
High Wealth Individuals
Deputy Commissioner
Michael Cranston
Aggressive Tax Planning
Deputy Commissioner
Tim Dyce
Public Groups
and International
Public Groups
Deputy Commissioner
Jeremy Hirschhorn
Case Leadership
Deputy Commissioner
Jan Farrell
International
Deputy Commissioner
Mark Konza

ATO Finance
Chief Finance Officer
Frances Cawthra
ATO People
First Assistant Commissioner
Jacqui Curtis
Organisational Realignment
Deputy Commissioner
Geoff Robinson
Business Reporting
andRegistrations
Deputy Commissioner
Mark Jackson

Review and Dispute Resolution

First Assistant Commissioner
Debbie Hastings
Tax Counsel Network
Chief Tax Counsel
Kirsten Fish
Deputy Chief Tax Counsel
Peter Walmsley
Deputy Chief Tax Counsel
Jonathan Woodger
A/g Deputy Chief Tax Counsel
Robert Puckridge

Enterprise Applications
A/g First Assistant Commissioner
Mathew Hay
Strategy, Architecture,
Security and Planning
First Assistant Commissioner
Steve Hamilton
Service Operations
A/g First Assistant Commissioner
Craig Fox

Small Business/Individual Taxpayers

Deputy Commissioner
Steve Vesperman

Service Delivery
Deputy Commissioner
David Diment

Superannuation
Deputy Commissioner
Alison Lendon

Integrated Tax Design

First Assistant Commissioner
Andrew England

Enterprise Solutions andTechnology

Chief Information Officer
Jane King

Capability Development
and Case Leadership
Deputy Commissioner
Jim Killaly PSM

Smarter Data Program

Deputy Commissioner
Greg Williams

Law Design and Practice Group

Second Commissioner
Andrew Mills

Independent internal
functions
Chief Internal Auditor
Greg Hollyman
Assistant Commissioner
FraudPreventionand Internal Investigation
Paul Malone

Deputy Commissioner
Robert Ravanello
(on secondment)
Client Account Services
A/g Deputy Commissioner
Sally Druhan
Customer Service and Solutions
A/g Deputy Commissioner and
ATO Chief Digital Officer
John Dardo
Debt
Deputy Commissioner
CherylLea Field

Correct as at 30 June 2015.

A/g represents an acting arrangement.
Each box represents a business line, apart
from:independent internal functions that support
theCommissioners; and the smarter data program.

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Commissioner of Taxation
Annual report 201415

Clients
Employers
880,000

Practitioners
(tax and BAS agents)
55,500

Self-managed
superannuation funds
557,000

Large business groups

and superannuation funds
1,400

Trusts
780,000

The scale of
our activities

Individual clients
12.8 million

Small business clients

2.9 million