COLLECTING OF ACCOUNTS – AUSTRALIA

Australian tax office whistleblower Richard Boyle may avoid jail in plea deal

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Original article by
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 28-May-25

Former Australian Tax Office debt collection officer Richard Boyle has pleaded guilty to four criminal charges in the Adelaide District Court, while 15 charges were withdrawn. Another five charges had been withdrawn in March. Former senator Rex Patrick, who founded the Whistleblowers Justice Fund, has described Boyle as a ‘superhero’ for publicly exposing the ATO’s debt recovery tactics; he adds that it is a disgrace that Boyle has been pursued for eight years over his revelations. Patrick believes that Boyle could potentially avoid custodial sentence after pleading guilty; however, he adds that Boyle may still be convicted, which would affect his future career prospects.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, DISTRICT COURT OF ADELAIDE

Robo-debt officials to be investigated, in anti-corruption commission backflip

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Original article by Olivia Ireland
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 19-Feb-25

Former High Court judge Geoffrey Nettle has ruled that National Anti-Corruption Commission should investigate six public officials over their role in the robodebt scandal. Nettle was commissioned to undertake an independent review of the NACC’s June 2024 announcement that it would not pursue an investigation into six individuals who had been referred to it by the robodebt royal commission. The names of the six officials have not been disclosed. The welfare debt recovery scheme was implemented by the former Coalition government, and subsequently deemed to have been unlawful.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Older Australians pressured into paying unfair robotax debts will not be compensated, government says

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Original article by Jonathan Barrett
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 3-Jul-24

The federal government will pursue legislative amendments to enable tax debts that were incurred before 2017 to remain on hold indefinitely. However, it has been criticised for refusing to provide refunds to people who have already paid historic tax debts in response to the Australian Taxation Office’s so-called ‘robotax’ campaign. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has stated that people who responded to the letters from the ATO will not be refunded, given that they had paid legitimate tax debts. Greens senator Nick McKim says this stance is "manifestly unfair".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Call for fresh Morrison probe over Robodebt

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Original article by Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 5 : 9-Aug-23

Greens MP Stephen Bates says former prime minister Scott Morrison appears to have deliberately made false statements about the robodebt scheme in order to mislead parliament. Bates contends that Morrison allowed robodebt to remain in place despite clear advice that the scheme was illegal. The Greens have introduced a motion in the lower house to refer Morrison to the privileges committee over his role in the robodebt scandal. A royal commission into the robodebt scheme made a number of adverse findings against Morrison.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Labor targets Stuart Robert and his handling of robodebt in negative ads before Fadden byelection

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 12-Jul-23

The Coalition’s robodebt scheme has become a key focus of the campaign for the byelection in the federal seat of Fadden on Saturday. Labor has used social media and newspaper advertisements to target outgoing Fadden MP Stuart Robert and former prime minister Scott Morrison over their role in the robodebt scandal. Robert is a former government services minister, while Morrison was social services minister when the scheme was implemented. The Coalition is expected to win the byelection, having retained Fadden with a two-party preferred margin of 10.6 per cent at the 2022 election.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Albanese government axing external debt collectors in bid to prevent another robodebt

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 13-Apr-23

Services Australia will assume full responsibility for recovering outstanding debts from welfare recipients when existing contracts with external debt collection firms expire on 30 June. Government Services Minister Bill Shorten has advised that all debt recovery will be undertaken in-house, contending that the nation must ensure that the robodebt scandal never happens again. The controversial scheme resulted in an increase in the use of external debt collection agencies to recover overpayments to welfare recipients. However, the majority of Centrelink debts were in fact recovered by Services Australia.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. SERVICES AUSTRALIA. CENTRELINK

Turnbull says cabinet was told robo-debt was legal

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Original article by Tom Burton
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 7-Mar-23

The royal commission into the robodebt scheme heard evidence from former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday. Cabinet agreed to the controversial scheme in 2015, prior to Turnbull becoming prime minister; he said cabinet was told that the scheme was lawful, and he was therefore focused on the accuracy and fairness of the scheme rather than its legality. Turnbull also revealed that he recommended in early 2017 that the Digital Transformation Agency should be tasked with improving the scheme, but said that this did not occur.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE ROBODEBT SCHEME

Bad loans hit small banks hard: Citi

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Original article by Cliona O’Dowd
The Australian – Page: 16 : 16-Jun-20

Citigroup analysts note that Australia’s smaller mortgage lenders have actively pursued increased market share in recent years. However, Citi warns that they are set to be hardest hit by a coronavirus-induced rise in loan losses later in 2020, as such losses tend to be highest during the first 3-4 years of a loan. Citi contends that small lenders will need to focus on capital demands rather than further growing their market share, which in turn is likely to prompt a swing back to large lenders.

CORPORATES
CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Explosive, gobsmacking statements by Tax Commissioner raise serious concerns about democracy, the rule of law and cover-up

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Original article by Ken Phillips
Self-Employed Australia – Page: Online : 28-Oct-19

Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan used an appearance before the Senate Economics Legislation Committee on 23 October to refute claims that the Australian Taxation Office can recover unpaid tax debts by taking money directly out of people’s bank accounts. The allegation was aired in advertisements funded by the ‘Right to Know’ campaign. Jordan says the ATO only takes action such as garnishee orders as a last resort, but there is documented evidence that the ATO emptied at least one person’s bank account and did not inform them of this until 10 days later. The ATO must be reigned in, but this is unlikely to happen until the federal government considers that the ATO is doing damage to it politically.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. SENATE ECONOMICS LEGISLATION COMMITEE

APRA backs banks over Hayne probe

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 19-Jul-18

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has defended the banking sector in its submission to the royal commission’s fourth round of public hearings. APRA argued amongst other things that banks have a right to make a profit and to call in bad debts when a borrower is unable to repay a loan. APRA was responding to questions raised by royal commissioner Ken Hayne regarding the need to balance the interests of banks and customers who are experiencing financial problems.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BANKWEST, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION