The Inland Revenue Department's new taxpayer's charter is just the first step toward making the Department more accountable for their treatment of taxpayers, National's Revenue spokesperson Annabel Young said today.

The IRD's new taxpayer's charter was released yesterday by the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.

"The charter is a move in the right direction but now they need to give it some clout. If the IRD don't have to report to Parliament, who will hold them accountable?

"The new charter is toothless. It will be easily ignored, just like the IRD's old charter, because it is voluntary," Ms Young said.

Annabel Young was the author of the Taxpayer's Charter Bill, which provided for the IRD to report to parliament on its compliance with the charter. Ms Young's member's bill was voted down by the Government at the end of last year.

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