False START at IRD
25 OCTOBER 2017
Inland Revenue’s new IT system, implemented in February for their GST services, has been a disappointment, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union.
According to official data from IRD, the time spent handling GST related enquiries increased by 50% when the system was
first introduced in February earlier this year. As of August, months after implementation, there was still a 20%
increase in wait times compared to the previous year.
Matthew Rhodes of the Taxpayers’ Union says, “The point of investing in a new IT system was to make services more efficient at IRD, but this data shows
taxpayers are receiving a worse service after the new system was introduced.”
"Many callers can’t even get to the hold tone. When the system was introduced in February, it faced so much pressure
that nearly 2000 callers to the GST line were disconnected without even being put on hold. In the two months prior to
implementation, that didn’t happen once."
“Over 10,000 calls to the GST line were disconnected in May because IRD systems simply couldn’t cope. Inland Revenue
either needs to train existing staff more thoroughly, or bring in additional staff during months they know will be busy.
How the IRD is proposing to cut 1,500 jobs in this environment is astounding.”
You can view IRD's information response here:
ENDS