The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is the federal government agency responsible for administering Australia's tax system. It collects income tax, goods and services tax, and other federal taxes, and it manages programs such as the superannuation guarantee on behalf of workers.
What the ATO does that affects working holiday makers
As a working holiday maker, your main interactions with the ATO relate to your Tax File Number, your income tax, and your superannuation. The ATO issues TFNs, receives income reports from your employers, processes your tax return, and oversees the DASP process through which you can withdraw your super after leaving Australia.
How the ATO receives information about you
Your employers report your wages and tax withholding to the ATO throughout the year through their payroll software. Your super fund reports your contribution history to the ATO. When you lodge a tax return, you are confirming and supplementing this information. The ATO uses all of this data to assess whether the right amount of tax has been paid.
When the ATO might contact you
The ATO may contact you if they need additional information to process your tax return, if they identify a discrepancy between what you have reported and what your employer has reported, or if they are conducting a review or audit of your return. All communications from the ATO are either through myGov messages or by post to your registered address. The ATO will never contact you by phone demanding immediate payment or threatening arrest. If you receive a call like that, it is a scam.
How to contact the ATO
You can contact the ATO by phone on 13 28 61 for general tax enquiries, or through your myGov account for written queries. If you are overseas, you can also contact them through the ATO's international call number.
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