Tax ombudsman criticises ATO’s robotax for not considering ‘financial vulnerability’ of recipients

Karen Payne says the debt notices had triggered a significant increase in complaints, and may require the government implementing a legislative fix

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Australia’s tax ombudsman says the government should consider putting time limits on debt collection and ensure that people are not put into hardship after an ATO campaign to resurrect thousands of historical debts caused widespread distress and confusion.

Karen Payne, the country’s top tax bureaucrat in charge of the complaints management service, said the ATO campaign to extract the debts from tax refunds had triggered a significant increase in complaints, and may require a legislative fix.

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