Big tax bodies meet
The ATO is involved in over 50 joint investigations into global tax crime alongside four of its international counterparts.
Leaders from the tax agencies of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and US have met in Washington DC for the second meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement, known as the J5, which was formed last year.
The J5 issued a statement saying it is involved in more than 50 investigations examining “sophisticated international enablers of tax evasion, including a global financial institution and its intermediaries who facilitate taxpayers to hide their income and assets”.
J5 countries share information sometimes collaborate on cases, significantly speeding up existing enforcement processes.
“I'm pleased with the progress the J5 has made on several significant joint investigations since its establishment last year,” ATO deputy commissioner Will Day said.
‘The collective intelligence available through the J5 is instrumental in enabling us to tackle serious and organised financial crime threats located in both Australia and offshore.”
The J5 includes officials from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and Australian Taxation Office, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Dutch Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service, Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs and the US Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.