Tax Commissioner Rob Heferen has hit back at criticism of the ATO’s handling of small debts owed by individuals and businesses, rejecting comparisons to the illegal robo-debt scheme as unfair and offensive.

In a scheme quickly likened to the Morrison government’s defective attempts to recover alleged welfare overpayments, in late 2023 the Tax Office unexpectedly began pursuing debts previously considered on hold or historical. The debts ranged from tiny amounts to tens of thousands of dollars and sometimes dated back many years.