Early this week the trial for ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle was to start in the Adelaide District Court. However, Richard and his entire legal team came down with Covid and the trial could not proceed.
But the trial cancellation didn’t stop us joining a rally of citizens calling for Richard’s case to be dropped. In the photo are SEA members Annette and Tina making our views known. The Australian Financial Review gave Richard’s case good exposure on Monday.
Background
On 9 April 2018 an ABC Four Corners exposé was aired that exposed malpractice and small business abuse by the Australian Taxation Office. Ex-ATO debt collection officer Richard Boyle featured in the program, detailing malpractice in the ATO’s debt collection division. Essentially the ATO was raiding people’s bank accounts in defiance of its required rules.
Richard had lodged an internal report to the ATO detailing the malpractice which was ignored. Richard then followed lawful whistleblower procedures in going public. However, the ATO still went after him, initially with charges that would put Richard in jail for 161 years.
Richard’s report on ATO malpractice was subsequently proven to be accurate by both the Inspector-General of Taxation and the Small Business Ombudsman. A Senate Committee criticised the ATO.
Why the charges should be dropped
We have detailed why the charges against Richard should be dropped. See our full reasons here.
In summary, our reasons include:
- Richard’s whistleblowing was the moral thing to do. This impacts upon the appropriateness of the prosecution.
- The charges against Richard are the product of a witch-hunt.
- The length and expense of a trial is a waste of public resources.
- There is a need to maintain public confidence in the administration of justice.
In undertaking Richard’s prosecution, the Commonwealth risks creating the impression of conducting a cover-up of evidence of maladministration by the ATO. If not a cover-up, then at least a diversion from the truth. This seriously diminishes the confidence of the public in the tax administration system. Further, it seriously diminishes trust in the justice system itself, by delivering the potential impression that the justice system is likewise involved in covering up maladministration by the ATO.
Michael Mulholland says
Just curious is there a possible link between the events of Richard Boyle exposure on small business to the closures( ROBODEBT) of multiple independent businesses,then the ” gig economy,and the covid having its negative impact on earnings,then the hotel quarantine bringing the health system crashing
Cannot seem to work out why thousands of teachers lose their jobs and nurses only for the government look to outsource from NZ and Srilanka job shortages.
The last time there was a shift to the economy was in 2000 the introduction of GST now there seems to be a push to target self employed and small businesses..
Wasn’t the introduction of the ” fairwork commission and ombudsman” established to ” encourage work choices? Sounds counter productive to close businesses down and directing people of where and how or what they should or shouldn’t choose?
Don’t people try to pay of mortgages early to escape the ” debt trap?” How does losing a right to choose their work choices improve one’s lifestyle.
Does one work to ” escape slavery” or improve their ” lifestyle?”
Was this a ” pandemic or as the public news say ” plandemic?”
How does going out of one’s way to destroy everyday people an opportunity to work and make a living actually help the economy?
Working for less and expecting,sounds like positive adverse effect.
What’s the similarity between ” exploitation ” and “Extortion?
They both have the same effect,deprive you of your rights!!
It’s a word game.
As the saying goes,If you can see through the illusion,you part of the solution!