Australian tax office whistleblower Richard Boyle may avoid jail in plea deal - The Guardian
Former senator Rex Patrick praises ATO whistleblower who exposed heavy-handed debt collection tactics
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The whistleblower Richard Boyle has been hailed a “superhero” after striking a plea deal under which he may avoid jail.
The 49-year-old has admitted to four criminal charges linked to his exposure of unethical debt recovery practices at the Australian Taxation Office.
Boyle appeared on Tuesday in the Adelaide district court, where he pleaded guilty to disclosing protected information to another entity, making a record of protected information, using a listening device to record a private conversation and recording other people’s tax file numbers.
The commonwealth director of public prosecutions withdrew 15 charges, while five others were dropped in March.
Outside court, the Whistleblowers Justice Fund founder, Rex Patrick, said Boyle had “pleaded guilty to helping all Australians by disclosing poor conduct by the tax office, who were stripping funds from businesses who were in distress”.
“He should be wearing a big S on his chest, as a superhero, instead of a conviction,” the former senator said.
All of the charges Boyle admitted were criminal offences with both financial penalties and a maximum two-year prison sentence, he said.
“I understand that in pleading guilty he will avoid a custodial sentence but...
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