Tim Loh, the ATO’s LinkedIn and TV star, steps out of spokesperson role as tax time winds down

The public face of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is stepping out of the media spotlight for another year, after emphasising the human element of revenue collection duties and carving out his own niche as a business community influencer.

On Thursday, ATO assistant commissioner Tim Loh announced his most high-profile public duties will slow down as the mid-year tax return rush draws to a conclusion.

Loh has been an upbeat fixture on the morning news circuit for much of the past year, mixing news of the ATO’s collection priorities and personable banter with seasoned television hosts.

Repeat appearances across shows like Channel 7’s Sunrise, Channel 9’s The Today Show, and ABC’s News Breakfast have expressed the tax office’s focus on everything from changing work-from-home deductions, to the risk of filing a tax return too early.

Loh also frequented the podcast circuit, appearing on shows produced by accountancy body CPA Australia, and finance and investment media organisation Rask Australia.

“Clearly not as important as some recent high profile announcements, but I wanted to let you know that the makeup is coming off and the mic is being handed over as I finish my side hustle as the ATO’s spokesperson this #taxtime2023,” Loh told his LinkedIn followers on Thursday.

“A big thank you for all the likes, comments, shares and DMs with supportive and encouraging messages that have helped me so much, especially this year which has been challenging on so many fronts.”

While the ATO regularly makes its spokespeople available to the media, Loh’s approach to the role has served business leaders both on-screen and off.

Beyond practical explanations of tax office operations, Loh has grown a personal following by providing insights about the spokesperson role and his own career development.

In particular, Loh has used LinkedIn to comment on the difficulties of moving from behind-the-scenes responsibilities at the tax office into one of its most recognisable public roles.

“One day I was lawyering… The next day, I was facing my fear of public speaking head-on: palms sweaty, heart beating out of my chest looking straight down the barrel of a camera on live TV talking to millions about tax,” Loh wrote in July.

“That was just over 2 years ago!

“I’ve made lots of mistakes whilst doing this role, but learnt a lot along the way.”

Loh has shared those lessons with LinkedIn over the course of months, garnering more than 7,000 followers just as interested in his personal insights as practical tax information.

In one post, Loh shared his three tips for building confidence, garnered from his own professional growth.

“The confidence that matters the most is having the belief in yourself to figure it out eventually. Embracing a growth mindset (over a fixed mindset) is the key to unlocking your confidence,” he wrote.

Tip two is that “building confidence doesn’t necessarily require taking big actions,” Loh continued.

“The confidence in yourself is built through doing tiny tasks consistently to build trust in yourself.”

Finally, Loh said reflection can help professionals take stock of how far they have come.

“Just because you are doing the tiny tasks consistently, doesn’t mean you will build and sustain your confidence,” he said.

“You need to regularly reflect on the tiny tasks you’ve completed and acknowledge your progress. Celebrate the fact that you’re slowly changing your identity.”

In other posts, Loh has reflected on how best to speak up in meetings, treat impostor syndrome, and find ways to adapt within a professional environment.

Reflecting on tips for graduates entering the workforce, Loh also addressed the lack of diversity among the leadership teams of many Australian institutions, offering a candid reflection of the challenges facing many young workers.

“If you are a person of colour, take a careful look at who occupy the senior positions in the organisation,” he said.

“If you don’t see the representation at the top, you can be exceptional, but it’s going to be harder for your career to progress past middle management.”

That focus echoed in his latest post: “the Australian media industry, particularly the commercial stations, need to do more with its media talent so that it looks and sounds more like the Australian community”.

As Loh’s official duties as ATO spokesperson wind down, those interested in his personal insights can follow him on LinkedIn.