ATO speech: Appetite for tax risk decreasing

In a recent speech, George Hitti, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, ATO, discussed the ATO’s approach to large corporates and the issue of tax avoidance and evasion.

He said the ATO has noticed that the “appetite for taking on tax risk – i.e. the risk of the ATO taking a different view to them, is currently decreasing if anything”. However, Mr Hitti noted that if the ATO does find evidence of deliberate non-compliance, it will take the necessary enforcement actions. He said the ATO has to be “taking action against those not doing the right thing or those aggressively testing the boundaries”.