The Tax Office has revealed that it now approves about 70 per cent of taxpayer requests to have tax penalties waived, down from a COVID-era approval rate of more than 90 per cent.
A spokesperson for the ATO said the agency had this year launched a review into its process for granting full or partial penalty waivers “to ensure consistency in decision-making”. Taxation Ombudsman Ruth Owen is also reviewing the process and will report back by January 2026.
