Inland Revenue Department

Preface

This is our fourth work plan as part of the New Zealand Disability Strategy. The area that we are focusing on for the 2005–06 year:

A review of service delivery to disabled people and development of plans to implement improvements in the way services are provided to disabled people.

This will help us to build our understanding and develop initiatives that will benefit the disabled community who use the department’s services.

In addition to this specific area, many of our day-to-day processes have the potential to improve access and services for people with disabilities.

In doing our work, we are guided by our desired future and our Charter. These documents guide the department in to how to design and deliver our services for all New Zealanders.

Inland Revenue’s desired future details what we want to achieve as a department:

• taxpayers and other customers meet their obligations of their own accord—and Inland Revenue makes this easy;
• increasingly the community regards paying tax as contributing to society;
• Inland Revenue is visible in the community, getting alongside taxpayers;
• the community regards Inland Revenue as professional, approachable, effective, and efficient.

Our Charter sets out what people can expect from the department when they interact with us. It also commits the department to continually improve our services; this means we actively collecting information on how we are doing and use it to improve our services.

The desired future and our Charter reflect the way we view the business of tax administration and the social support programmes that we deliver. Generally, the way we go about improving our service delivery to all taxpayers will deliver results to taxpayers and other customers with disabilities.

Many of our day-to-day business processes focus on improving services for everyone, for example:

• our improved external Website makes it easier for people to access our information. Our website was recently updated and is consistent with the New Zealand Government Web Guidelines.
• the department provides a wide range of electronic services, which makes it easier for people to interact with the department. This is consistent with the goals set out in the E-government Strategy.
• the department makes sure that everyone has physical access to our buildings and our public areas have clear signage. Making sure our buildings are accessible is consistent with Standards Code: NZS 4121:2001; Design for Access and Mobility: Buildings and Associated Facilities.
• in planning for our future workforce, we have policies that reduce barriers to employment, such as having flexible working hours and other family friendly policies.

A review of service delivery and plans for improvement

Desired Outcome

During 2005–06, we will identify opportunities to improve our current service delivery to the disabled community and set priorities for service enhancements.

Description

By 30 June 2006 we will have:

1. reviewed current service delivery policies, strategies and mechanisms applicable/available to disabled people
2. developed a plan to implement improvements in the way services are provided to disabled people.

Measures and Timeframes

1. Review and plan completed by 30 June 2005
2. Review recognises the status of New Zealand Sign Language and has considered current policy on the use of sign language interpreters.
3. Review has considered the subject of disabled persons nominating someone to act on their behalf
4. Review has identified and considered relevant complaints dealt with by our Complaints Management Service
5. Plan identifies priorities and provides timeframes for implementation
6. Plan identifies evaluation mechanisms

Links to NZ Disability Strategy Objective and Action

Foster an aware and responsive public service (action 6.4).