This category is limited to the registration, assessment and processing of tax obligations and other entitlements, including associated review and Crown accounting activities, and the collection and sharing of related information with other agencies.
What we do
We deliver efficient and effective registration, assessment and processing of tax obligations and entitlements. This contributes to the availability of revenue to fund government programmes as well as ensuring that customers receive payments they’re entitled to.
How we performed
Our processing performance measures focus on timeliness and efficiency for the key services and activities that affect customers. Our systems and more automated processes have made us more efficient in the processing of customers’ returns, registrations, payments and refunds.
In 2023–24 we:
- processed 12.5 million returns (income tax, GST and employer information)
- issued 1.2 million refunds (income tax and GST)
- transferred $10.4 billion to KiwiSaver scheme providers
- processed 682,000 registrations
Performance measure results
This year, we achieved 7 out of 8 targets, similar to 2022–23 when we achieved 10 out of 11 targets.
| Performance measure | 2022-23 actual | 2023-24 target | 2023-24 actual | 2024-25 target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of social policy and tax registrations processed within 5 working days | 85.0% | 85% | 86.8% (achieved) | 85% |
| Percentage of income tax refund disbursements resulting from a return issued within 5 weeks | 87.0% | 85% | 86.6% (achieved) | 85% |
| Percentage of GST refund disbursements issued within 4 weeks1 | 96.6% | 95% | 97.1% (achieved) | 95% |
| Percentage of income tax returns finalised within 3 weeks | 99.5% | 95% | 99.0% (achieved) | 95% |
| Percentage of GST returns finalised within 3 weeks | 99.96%2 | 98% | 99.92% (achieved) | 98% |
| Percentage of KiwiSaver contributions passed to scheme providers within 3 days |
New Measure | 95% | 99.4% (achieved) | 98% see here |
| Average cost of processing income tax returns, GST returns and employment information | $1.48 | $1.75 or less | $2.16 (not achieved) | $1.75 or less |
| Not achieved—This measure demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of our processing activities. With most processing now being systems-based, system costs including depreciation are a key driver of this measure. As our new operating model has bedded down, results for this measure have varied from $2.92 in 2018–19 to $1.35 in 2021–22. Over the last few years we have stretched the target from $3.50 in 2021–22 to $1.75 from 2023–24. | ||||
| Percentage of child support assessments issued within 2 weeks | 81.1% | 80% | 83.9% (achieved) | 80% |
All targets are unaudited.
1Section 46 of the Goods and Services Tax Act 1985 stipulates that refunds are to be issued within 15 working days unless selected for screening or investigation. The 4 weeks issuing timeframe allows additional time to include those selected for screening or investigation in our performance.
2This result as reported in the 2023 Annual Report was 100%. We are providing the result to 2 decimal places in this year’s report.
What it cost
| Actual 2023 ($000) | Actual 2024 ($000) | Unaudited revised budget 2024 ($000) | Unaudited budget 2024 ($000) | Unaudited forecast 2025 ($000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | |||||
| Revenue from the Crown | $146,613 | $183,821 | $183,821 | $162,084 | $150,271 |
| Other revenue | $3,597 | $3,493 | $3,634 | $3,634 | $3,634 |
| Total revenue | $150,210 | $187,314 | $187,455 | $165,718 | $153,905 |
| Total expenses | $140,286 | $180,385 | $187,455 | $165,718 | $153,905 |
| Net surplus or (deficit) | $9,924 | $6,929 | - | - | - |