ATO rebuked by tax watchdog for using debt collectors on people ‘doing the right thing’

Inspector general of taxation and ombudsman, Ruth Owen, says she is receiving an increasing number' of complaints about tax office

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The ATO must be considerate of a person's circumstances, Australia's inspector-general of taxation has warned, after a spike in complaints over a third-party collector used to chase tax debts.

On Monday, Guardian Australia reported that the ATO had referred more than 355,000 taxpayers, including welfare recipients, to the private equity-backed debt collector, Recoveriescorp, since January 2024.

Do you know more? Email jonathan.barrett@theguardian.com