Release: Christian Porter Must Drop Charges Against ATO Whistleblower
The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance (ATA), a 75,000+ member grassroots body representing Australia’s taxpayers, today called on Attorney General Christian Porter to overturn charges against Australian Taxation Office Whistleblower, Richard Boyle. Boyle is facing a 161-year jail term despite helping to expose the ATO's unethical debt collection practices, such as aggressive use of garnishee orders, against innocent taxpayers as part of an ABC News investigation.
"Richard Boyle is a hero for exposing the shameful standover tactics of the Australian Taxation Office at great professional and personal cost to himself." said Satya Marar, ATA Director of Policy. "Even though the wrongdoings he exposed were acknowledged by the ATO, he now faces a 161-year jail term. This sends the message that the Australian government is more concerned about destroying the lives of whistle-blowers and putting them in their place than upholding the welfare of hardworking taxpayers who pay their salaries and will foot the bill for their fat pensions.
"While Attorney General Christian Porter is right to say that his power to reverse charges put by the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions if they are not in the public interest should be used only in extraordinary circumstances, this is evidently such a circumstance.
"It's a shameful farce that Richard Boyle is being charged for mishandling taxpayer data when his revelations exposed abuse against them. Whistle-blowers should be encouraged to come forward against those who abuse their power. They are national heroes. Not criminals."