Australian Taxation Office slammed as ‘a joke’ for long queues on returns website

Eager taxpayers keen to lodge their tax returns have slammed the Australian Taxation Office after they were placed in a “slow” online queue with wait times of up to an hour.

Australians can now file their tax returns, and many eager for a pay bump have flooded social media slamming the ATO after facing “hang tight” and “thanks for being patient” messages on the website.

For many hoping to lodge their tax return, they are being met with a message saying: “You’re in the queue.”

ATO online users have slammed the slow queues to lodge their tax returns. Credit: NewsWire

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“To ensure the best experience when you gain access to our online services, we’re currently managing the number of people who can log in,” the website reads.

Users have flooded social media slamming the delays, with many claiming they have had to wait an hour to access the website.

On a Facebook post by the ATO telling customers how to make tax time a little easier, many users have commented in anger.

“Been in the queue for almost an hour,” one user wrote.

“Great way to hold up returns … make everyone lodge online and then deny access to the portal,” another said.

“Get your act together.”

Another said the long online wait times were “a joke”.

Many are rushing to file their tax returns at the first available opportunity. Credit: Supplied

“It’s a joke! I’m in the virtual queue and my loading bar is now fully green and has been for 15 minutes but I’m still in the queue,” another user wrote.

The waiting room was introduced in April 2020 to manage the high volume of returns from July 1.

Aussies have been warned against lodging their tax returns early, with the ATO issuing a warning to wait until the end of July.

ATO assistant commissioner Rob Thomson said those looking to lodge their return immediately could make mistakes such as forgetting to include interest from banks and health insurance details.

“Tax time is not a race, and there is a much higher chance that your return will be missing important information if you lodge in early July,” Mr Thomson said earlier this year.

“This is particularly relevant if you are receiving income from multiple sources.”