GST goes mobile – and crowdsourced

When you think Inland Revenue, you don't typically think crowdsourcing.

Yet it's to crowdsourcing that the Inland Revenue turned when it decided it wanted a mobile app.

The result, myIRmobile, was developed in collaboration with the winners of the crowdsourcing challenge, app4IR, a competition to find a way to make it easier for small business to interact with Inland Revenue.

The competition was won by Wellington 24-year-olds Matt Innes and Josh Lee.

 Revenue Minister Todd McClay says the new mobile app, available for iOS only, simplifies GST filing. He says 7270 people have already downloaded the app.

"What we have ended up with is an app that is developed by customers for customers," McClay says.

The app allows business owners who are registered for GST and Inland Revenue's myIR online to file GST 101 returns, including a nil GST return; pay their tax using credit and debit cards, be notified of due dates and update their personal details on their iPhone.

McClay says the first version can be used by nearly 50,000 New Zealand businesses.

Sush Mobile was engaged to direct the charge for a mobile solution focused on creating an innovative user experience.

Sush Mobile co-founder Sheenu Chawla says the company is proud of the opportunity to work with Inland Revenue.

"In some ways it's like being pioneers, and that's a big part of what makes New Zealand what it is – a nation of explorers and innovators.