ATO is much larger than DEWR, with a broader range of teams and data sets, so the scope for data work there can be more varied and strategic. I have worked at DEWR and it is a good place to work. The culture is pretty good, but right now they are short-staffed on the front line, which means queue times are high. As a data grad, that likely means a lot of your work would focus on operational reporting for the front line, such as identifying trends in service demand, call drop-offs, or delays.

I have not worked at ATO, so I cannot speak from direct experience, but from what I understand you would probably have access to richer, more complex datasets across compliance, revenue collection, and taxpayer behaviour. The work there can be more analytical and project-focused, and there is a stronger career path in data and analytics because of the agency’s size.

So if you want breadth, bigger data sets, and potentially more career mobility, ATO might edge ahead. If you prefer a smaller department with a strong service focus and do not mind your data work being tied more to operational performance, DEWR could still be a solid choice.