ATO to receive $187 million to combat tax and superannuation fraud

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has been given $187 million in new funding to bolster its defences against tax and superannuation fraud, including tools to block suspicious activity in real-time and a taskforce to recover lost revenue and step in when scammers try to claim fake refunds. 

The new funding, to be provided over four years, is part of a broader suite of measures in the 2024-25 federal budget to strengthen tax compliance.

The $187 million includes three key components:

• $78.7 million for the ATO to upgrade its technology so it can detect and block scammers in real time;
• $83.5 million for a new compliance taskforce to claw back lost revenue and intervene when fraudsters attempt to obtain false refunds; and
• $24.8