Tax office seeks new image

The tax office wants to "reinvent" itself and train its officers how to write in plain English.

Tender documents for a new Australian Taxation Office project call for communications consultants to assist with "improving external perceptions of the ATO".

The ATO, which last financial year collected $419.2 billion in gross tax and refunded $97.5 billion, is aiming to become what taxation commissioner Chris Jordan calls "a truly contemporary service organisation".

The communications project is "part of the focus on reinventing the ATO, reducing red tape and improving connectedness with government, taxpayers and their advisers", the tender brief says.

As part of the project, the consultants will provide advice to officers on writing ATO documents "in plain English".

The ATO website will also be updated.