Tax office complaints surge during crack down on debts

Key points

• Complaints about the Australian Taxation Office have risen sharply as the agency ramps up debt collection. The Tax Ombudsman received 2376 complaints in the six months to September, up 74 per cent on the same period last year.
• The office said it received 1358 complaints over that period, because the ombudsman's figures also included matters not involving the tax office. The ombudsman found the tax office acted reasonably in 63 per cent of debt collection complaints it investigated.
• Outstanding tax debt stood at $54.2 billion in 2024/25, with $35.9 billion owed by small businesses.