Apologies for the way I was treated and undertakings to improve
It wasn’t easy doing this. But now the Australian Public Service Commission and the Australian Tax Office is on the record on oath saying that policy and practice will change for the better.
This is how the ABC reported it:
The head of the Australian Taxation Office has conceded that it did not respond well to a complaint about a staff member’s use of Twitter
Author and women’s advocate Melinda Tankard Reist wrote a complaint after a tax office employee asked on Twitter if anyone had any naked pictures of her.
He has since been disciplined, although it took about nine months for the tax office to inform Ms Tankard Reist that action had been taken.
The commissioner of taxation, Chris Jordan, has told a Senate hearing that the organisation has apologised to the author.
“It has not been a good example of the way a complainant should be treated and it was an unacceptable delay in response,” he said.
“The letter, I believe, was unacceptably brief in what it said. I think she deserved better.”
Economics Legislation Committee – 05/06/2013 – Estimates – TREASURY PORTFOLIO – Inspector-General of Taxation. You can read the transcripts here
Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee – 28/5/13 – Budget Estimates read from page 39.
See my earlier piece on the issue, including my original letter of complaint
