Debt recovery tactics at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) were so oppressive that a senior Adelaide staff member complained they were “sick of taxpayers threatening suicide”, according to court documents filed by whistleblower Richard Boyle.
The South Australian District Court has released the 50-page affidavit of the former public servant, as Mr Doyle applies to be declared immune from prosecution.
The 46-year-old Adelaide man is facing 24 criminal charges, including recording and disclosing public information, stemming from his decision to go public to the ABC on unethical debt recovery techniques at the ATO in 2018.
In his affidavit, Mr Boyle accused his former employer of covering up serious maladministration and lying to Senate Estimates about his accusations.
Mr Boyle described in the document how garnishee orders – a legal notice demanding debt payments – became "onerous and oppressive" on taxpayers who had small debts and were experiencing hardship.
He said that in March 2017, a colleague sent an email to 12 Adelaide staff members stating: "The last 'hour of power' is upon us … that means you still have time to issue another five garnishees, right?"
Mr Boyle wrote that garnishee orders were mandated, and staff were directed to issue them instead of a "point in time garnishee", which had a...
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