The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) celebrates its 100th year in 2010 and Australia Post has issued a commemorative stamp to mark this historic occasion.
On 11 November 1910, the Federal Land Tax Branch of the Department of Treasury was established as a central collection office to fund aged care and invalid pensions. This was the forerunner to the ATO. Personal taxation was not introduced until the onset of WWI, which then saw a rapid growth in federal taxation. The ATO is now responsible for income tax, GST and superannuation as well as administering benefits and refunds such as tax returns and family tax benefits.
