According to the Tax Office, 10,000 taxpayers have already lodged their tax returns using the Tax Office's free electronic Tax Pack -- e-tax, just one week after the end of the 2001/02 year. This represents a 100% increase over last year.

Deputy Tax Commissioner, Ms Jennie Granger, said that last year around 280,000 taxpayers used e-tax and the Tax Office expects to receive around 500,000 tax returns electronically this year.

Ms Granger encouraged more taxpayers to use e-tax. She said that e-tax was quick and easy, and taxpayers can get their refunds sooner (usually within 14 days). e-tax can be downloaded from the Tax Office website at www.ato.gov.au.

Source: Tax Office media release Nat 02/59, 8 July 2002.