On 21 January 2016, the ATO advised the Dispute Resolution Working Group members of the results of the ‘reinvention’ of the Test Case Litigation Program. It said, that in the last 12 months they have:
- Reduced our test case funding criteria from three criteria and 9 guiding principles to 1 criterion and 5 expectations
- Introduced new online application forms making it easier to apply for test case funding
- Introduced a new policy to approve funding via the panel without an application form
- Increased the number of ad hoc panel meetings to cater for time sensitive applications
- Increased transparency about our panel process by proving details about our panel members online
- Reduced the ATO’s time to review a declined funding decision from six to two weeks.
- Streamlined our costs policy to give applicants greater awareness about levels of reimbursement, timely cost payments and consistency of funding arrangements
- Published the Test Case Litigation Register after each Panel meeting
- Launched new online content so that it is shorter, clearer and easier to understand
- Re-issued the Test Case Guide
- Introduced a new feedback mechanism to ensure continuous improvement
[via LCA]