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The Tax Office has been given the all-clear to continue using its access powers to break into homes, cars and workplaces to retrieve documents it believes are at risk of being destroyed.
Fairfax newspapers report the raids which involve locksmiths and do not need court-issued warrants were approved by Ombudsman John McMillan after an investigation by his office.
The report says Professor McMillan's staff have already accompanied 100 tax officers on co-ordinated raids sites in four states in which wallet authorities were used and giving the people they met signed approvals and a brochure about tax law.
Prof McMillan says it's the second Ombudsman investigation into the ATO's access without notice powers in the past 10 years and confirms that taxpayers can feel confident the ATO is exercising its powers properly.
