Tax commissioner says Albanese government could wipe $15bn in robotax debts

Chris Jordan tells National Press Club the ATO is legally obliged to recoup historical debts affecting up to 1.8 million taxpayers

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The Australian Taxation Office’s outgoing commissioner says a decision to wipe more than $15bn in decades-old debts affecting up to 1.8 million taxpayers is in the Albanese government’s hands.

Guardian Australia revealed on Tuesday the ATO has plans to expand a controversial scheme – dubbed robotax – to recoup more than $15bn in old debts from older Australians and low-income earners, marked to be scraped from tax refunds.

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