Monash University Law Chambers
The Australian Centre for Justice Innovation (ACJI)
Faculty of Law
Explanatory Statement
ADR Participants
Evaluating Alternative Dispute Resolution in Taxation Disputes
The Australian Centre for Justice Innovation (ACJI) at Monash University would like to invite you to
take part in a telephone or on-line survey. The reason you are being approached is because you
have recently been involved in a dispute resolution process regarding a taxation dispute with the
Australian Taxation Office (ATO). We are hoping to find out what you thought about the process in
order to improve future processes.
If you choose to participate in the survey, the ATO will provide us with your contact details and we
will contact you to survey you. If you do not wish to be surveyed, you will need to ‘opt out’ of the
process by completing the attached ‘opt out’ form.
Other people who have taken part in the dispute resolution process will also be approached for
feedback.
The aim of the research and possible benefits
In a review conducted by the Inspector-General of Taxation, it was recommended that the ATO
should implement an independent system to gather feedback from all participants in taxation
disputes as to the effectiveness of its dispute resolution processes. This feedback could then be
used to inform the development of ATO’s dispute resolution strategies and processes.
This project aims to obtain timely feedback from all participants involved in dispute resolution
processes including: conferencing, conciliation, neutral evaluation, case appraisal and mediation.
Results will be de-identified, interpreted and applied to the ATO’s dispute resolution practices in
order to improve future processes and performance.
Another important aim of the project is that user experiences are transparently reported. Deidentified feedback will therefore be made publicly available via a published report.
For further information about the ATO review, please go to:
http://www.law.monash.edu.au/centres/acji/; or
http://www.ato.gov.au/Tax-professionals/Legal-practitioners/Litigation-and-case-law/Evaluatingalternative-dispute-resolution-in-taxation-disputes
What form is the survey and how long will it take to complete?
If you agree to be surveyed, you may choose to complete the survey on-line or by telephone
interview. We anticipate that the survey will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Note
that there is no financial remuneration for survey participation, however, feedback about the
process would be greatly valued.
How can I access the survey and can I withdraw from the survey at any time?
Further instructions and a password are provided in the accompanying invitation. Alternatively, if
you prefer a telephone interview, a researcher from Monash University will contact you shortly,
during business hours to conduct a telephone survey or arrange a suitable alternative time.
Professor Tania Sourdin
Monash University Law Chambers
Level 1, 555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Telephone: +61 3 9903 8536 Facsimile +61 3 9903 8503 Email: tania.sourdin@monash.edu Web: www.monash.edu.au
ABN 12 377 614 012 CRICOS provider number 00008C
Inconvenience/discomfort
Some disputes may have been frustrating and reliving the experience in a survey may cause
distress. If you experience distress in the course of surveying, we have arranged for
counselling to be made available at no charge. Feel free to contact ResolutionsRTK
Phone 1300 687 327 or Email eap@resolutionsrtk.com.au and quote ‘Tax office research’.
Being in this study is voluntary. The researchers will not communicate to the ATO your decision to
participate or not in the research. If you do consent to participate, you can withdraw from further
participation at any stage including during the survey. You can also refuse to answer particular
questions.
The ATO will not be able to identify your responses.
Confidentiality
After the survey has been completed, the information you have given will be made anonymous
and we will not be able to link any of the information to your personal contact details.
Data collected from the survey will be de-identified and stored in accordance with Monash
University regulations, kept on University premises, in a locked filing cabinet for 5 years.
Personal details of participants will be given a coded number once the survey has taken place and
identifiable details will not be attached to survey responses. Your contact details will only be used
for purposes of arranging or conducting telephone surveys. Electronic data will be held on limited
access locked Monash University hard drives. Results and findings of the study will be submitted
for publication, but individual participants will not be identifiable.
Use of data for other purposes
We will use your data for reporting purposes only and because it is de-identified information, your
personal details will not be identified in any way.
Results
Results and findings will be published online on the Civil Justice Research Online site managed by
ACJI based at Monash University Law Chambers (www.civiljustice.info), the ACJI website
(www.law.monash.edu/centres/acji) and the ATO website (www.ato.gov.au).
If you would like to contact the researchers
about any aspect of this study, please
contact the Chief Investigator:
Professor Tania Sourdin
Director ACJI
Monash University Law Chambers, Level 1
555 Lonsdale Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 99038536
Fax: +61 3 9903 8504
Email: Tania.Sourdin@monash.edu
Or the Director of Review and Dispute
Resolution, Australian Taxation Office:
Sirla Jafri
Phone: +61 2 6216 2664
Fax : +61 2 6216 1247
Email: Sirla.Jafri@ato.gov.au
If you have a concern or complaint
concerning the manner in which this
research (MUHREC project number LR
2013000752) is being conducted, please
contact:
Executive Officer
Monash University Human Research
Ethics Committee (MUHREC)
Building 3e Room 111
Research Office
Monash University VIC 3800
Phone: +61 3 9905 2052
Fax: +61 3 9905 3831
Email: muhrec@monash.edu
Professor Tania Sourdin
Monash University Law Chambers
Level 1, 555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Telephone: +61 3 9903 8536 Facsimile +61 3 9903 8503 Email: tania.sourdin@monash.edu Web: www.monash.edu.au
ABN 12 377 614 012 CRICOS provider number 00008C