The evidence mounts on the ATO’s abuse of its powers with small business people. This will culminate in the Four Corners full story this Monday, ABC 8:30.
We highly recommend you watch this. The Four Corners TV promo is here.
There has already been considerable coverage:
- ABC National Radio 7th April: ‘Calls for Increased scrutiny of the ATO’. (3min audio)
- ABC TV News 7th April : ‘Tax Office Scrutiny’
- Age & SMH. 4th April: ‘ATO Raids Tax Office Whistleblower Amid Fairfax-Four Corners Investigation’
- SMH & Age : 7th April ‘How could they do this? The tax office call that sent Kathryn broke.’
- ABC Online 7th April: ‘The Tax Office is facing calls for curbs on the “draconian” powers it uses to target small businesses’.
Our conclusion is that the ATO must be reformed. The reform is not to reduce tax collection powers but to ensure that those powers are not abused. More on this later!