Tax office complaints surge 180 per cent in two years

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 26 Oct, 22:31 · Archive

Complaints against Australia's tax office have jumped 180 per cent in two years as it intensifies debt collection during a period when taxpayers face rising cost pressures. The Tax Ombudsman received 2376 complaints in the six months to September, up 74 per cent from the same period in 2025. Debt collection and payment-related matters each accounted for 19 per cent of complaint investigations from April to September.

Tax Ombudsman Ruth Owen said people were struggling with debt collection activity, interest charges and payment delays. She noted that interest being applied to tax debt was often making amounts impossible for taxpayers to repay. The ATO disputed these figures, saying it had received only 1358 complaints over the same period, as the ombudsman's count included cases resolved without ATO involvement or relating to the Tax Practitioners Board or state tax issues.

Of the 2376 complaints the ombudsman received, it investigated 501 and found the ATO had acted appropriately in most cases. In 63 per cent of debt collection-related complaints, the agency found the ATO acted reasonably, though this was down nine per cent from the same period the previous year. Complaints about penalties and interest made up 18 per cent of grievances, up from 13 per cent a year earlier. Rising inflation and interest rates were adding to mounting debts owed by taxpayers and small businesses, the ombudsman said.

How it is being reported

• Tax office complaints surge during crack down on debtsComplaints against the tax office have jumped 180 per cent in two years, as relations between business owners and the government sour.The West Australian · 26 Oct, 22:01
• Tax office complaints surge during crack down on debtsComplaints against the tax office have jumped 180 per cent in two years, as relations between business owners and the government sour.Perth Now · 26 Oct, 22:01
• Tax office complaints surge during crack down on debtsComplaints against the tax office have jumped 180 per cent in two years, as relations between business owners and the government sour.The West Australian · 26 Oct, 22:01

In this story: Australian Taxation Office · Tax Ombudsman · Ruth Owen · Australia

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