ATO cracking down on tax dodgers trying to leave the country

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In a statement, the ATO has said it is focused on reducing unpaid tax and “bringing down the $50 billion collectable debt book” through its approach to debt management, including taking necessary actions on taxpayers who refuse to pay debts, particularly those relating to unpaid employee superannuation, and taxes withheld from employees’ wages, or collected from customers as GST but not passed on to the government.

One way the Tax Office is doing this is via departure prohibition orders (DPOs), which are enforcement actions to prevent certain persons with tax liabilities from leaving Australia without paying.

DPOs, ATO noted, are often applied in conjunction with other firmer actions, “where the impact of these other actions would be limited or rendered futile if the taxpayer left the country”.

The increased use of DPOs, the Tax Office said, “is just one example of the strong and deliberate action the ATO is taking to deal with taxpayers who are continuing to ignore their obligations and refuse to engage to pay their outstanding amounts”.

ATO assistant commissioner Anita Challen said: “Taxpayers with significant debts to the ATO that think they can skip the country without paying what is owed to the community should think again.”

“We think most Australians would expect businesses to pay their employees’ superannuation before they plan an overseas holiday,” she said.

The consequences of being issued a DPO are “serious and confronting,” Challen added.

“A taxpayer issued a DPO was recently pulled aside and prevented from boarding an international flight out of Australia in the early hours of the morning.”

“If you have a significant debt with the ATO and we’ve issued you with a DPO, you’ll need to pay or make satisfactory arrangements to pay before planning your overseas travel,” she said.

“The ATO strongly encourages taxpayers who cannot meet their obligations on time, to engage with us or speak with their registered tax professionals early. Putting your head in the sand is not an option.”

“Not paying tax affects everyone, and it is common for businesses who aren’t paying their tax to owe money to more than one creditor and, if this [is] not addressed, they can put other small businesses and their employees at risk,” Challen concluded.

Since July 2025, the ATO has issued 21 DPOs, it said, which was more than the total number issued in the most recent financial year.

09 January 2026
Jerome Doraisamy 
accountantsdaily.com.au