Jozef Imrich, name worthy of Kafka, has his finger on the pulse of any irony of interest and shares his findings to keep you in-the-know with the savviest trend setters and infomaniacs.
''I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.''
-Kurt Vonnegut
ATO reshuffles senior executive ranks - Recoveriescorp ATO
The best comedy comes from bad leadership…
Trump and his circle function less like a government and more like “internet trolls with badges,” using insults, deflection, and juvenile tactics rather than mature leadership.
The leadership style has shifted from deliberative to performative, from substantive to sensational …
Tobacco excise revenue has shrunk to a nine-year low as smokers turn to the black market for cheaper cigarettes, prompting calls for the federal government to boost enforcement to plug the growing shortfall…The federal government collected just $9.7 billion from the tobacco excise last financial year, according to Treasury, a 40 per cent fall from the record $16.3 billion haul in 2019-20 and the lowest take since 2014-15.
There’s now so much illegal tobacco coming into Australia the ATO has given up measuring it, prompting calls for ‘tougher border enforcement’ and claims high tobacco tax rates are creating a ‘smuggler’s jackpot’.
James O'Doherty
November 3, 2025
The ATO said it could not be sure of the true value of illegal tobacco entering Australia.
The ATO said it could not be sure of the true value of illegal tobacco entering Australia.
There is so much illegal tobacco flowing into Australia that the tax office has now given up measuring it.
Leadership shifts at the ATO reflect a renewed focus on enterprise risk, system readiness and smarter use of data across the agency.
Commissioner of Taxation Rob Heferen has revealed another senior executive team reshufflesince taking command of the agency in March 2024.
A swag of new ATO deputy commissioner changes were announced internally last week to “reflect our continued focus on strengthening capability, aligning leadership with strategic priorities, and positioning the organisation to meet the evolving needs of the community and government”, Heferen said.
The big mover is Marek Rucinski, who, Heferen announced, “will take leadership of a newly established business line, Enterprise Risk, Change and Integration, within ESCO [ATO Enterprise Strategy and Corporate Operations] from Monday, 3 November 2025″
Rucinski was previously the ATO’s “deputy commissioner of Smarter Data”, providing “the ATO’s data and analytics capability”, which has conspicuously used pre-large language model artificial intelligence and applied mathematics and statistical analysis to boost the public coffers.
Accenture alumnus turned public servant Rucinski might, not unkindly, be referred to as original generative of the ATO’s use of artificial intelligence, or OG AI.
Heferen clearly has expectations for the new deputy commissioner role.
“This role will provide strategic leadership and will collaborate across enterprise-wide functions to strengthen organisational resilience, risk maturity, and change capability across the ATO. Marek will lead and integrate three key capability domains: enterprise risk management, change integration and enablement, and measurement and evaluation,” Heferen said.
Risk management is a bit of a burning platform for the ATO, given the absurd losses incurred through Goods and Services Tax refund fraud incurred under scams that became Operation Protego, which, at a minimum, incurred losses of at least $2 billion through so-called first-person fraud, or when those committing fraud did so under their own name.
That being said, not to mention the downgrading of former ATO second commissioner and chief information officer Ramez Katf’s role to a non-statutory deputy commissioner role, filled byMark Sawade, Heferen has left the door ajar to another major ATO technical transformation.
Speaking to Rucinski’s new gig, Heferen said the “role enables change readiness for major ATO programs and system transformations. It strengthens the ATO’s capability to deliver and assure complex, technology-enabled change across systems, processes, and people. Again, consistent with the OPE, it will also bring ATO-wide focus on evaluation.”
Heferen said “branches moving to this business line structure include: Enterprise Risk Management — moving from the Enterprise Strategy & Design business line, and ESCO”, and “Planning, Assurance, Reporting, Technology & Evaluation — moving from the International, Support & Programs business line in CEG.”
Another new business line appointee is Rebecca Saint, who, Heferen said, “has taken the lead of a new business line within the Law Design and Practice Group, titled Litigation and Legal Services from Monday, 20 October 2025.
And there is more.
“Grant Brodie will take on the role of deputy commissioner, Individuals & Intermediaries from 10 November 2025,” Heferen said.
“With over seven years of leadership in Tax Time, Grant brings a wealth of experience and insight that positions him strongly to lead our strategic focus on increasing willing participation, reducing tax gaps, and strengthening community confidence in the value of the tax and superannuation systems.”
Meanwhile, “Michael Morton will act as deputy commissioner, Frontline Services, pending the permanent filling of the role,” Heferen said.
“This area, previously part of the Office of the Chief Tax Counsel, has been established to elevate and recognise the unique and critical role our litigation teams play in the tax and superannuation systems.
“Effective litigation is central to strengthening payment performance, debt collection, and clarifying the interpretation and application of tax and super laws. Michelle Sams will act as deputy commissioner, Public Groups, pending the permanent filling of the role,” Heferen announced.
And there’s more on the succession planning front.
“Rowan Fox is being promoted to the role of deputy commissioner, Small Business effective 10 November. Rowan will continue to act in the deputy commissioner, Individuals & Intermediaries role until 7 November 2025. Congratulations, Rowan! I’d like to thank Michael Morton for the great work he has done to date while acting in this role,” Heferen said.
Heferen also said that Michael O’Neill “will take up an important new role as specialist adviser, Regulatory at the ACNC [Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission] from 24 November 2025.”
“His extensive experience as secretary of the Tax Practitioners Board and former chief risk officer for the ATO, will be invaluable in delivering strategic assurance advice to the ACNC commissioner. This role is about building on the ACNC’s object of public trust and confidence; it’s about ensuring the ACNC is well placed to implement the Department of Finance’s whole-of-Government Regulatory Policy, Practice & Performance Framework, and consider other broader strategic considerations, as the ACNC continues to advance its regulatory maturity.”
Heferen continued that “I intend to run an EOI process for the Secretary role; in the interim, Janette Luu will be acting secretary until this is finalised. I’d like to thank all of our people at the TPB, the board and Michael for their efforts in supporting the Australian community, enhancing professional integrity and building confidence in the tax system.
The taxation commissioner added that “Amy Horton will act in the role of deputy commissioner, Frontline Resource Management from 24 November to 29 May 2026, while Belinda Darling is on long-term leave.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Watson “will permanently transfer to the role of deputy commissioner, Smarter Data from 3 November 2025, following his recent leadership of the business line,” Heferen said. That role backfills Rucinski’s.
“[Watson’s] ongoing stewardship will ensure continuity and maintain momentum as Smarter Data continues to support the APS’s ambition to harness data as a strategic asset and strengthen risk-informed decision-making across the service,” Heferen told ATO staff.
A spokesperson for the ATO told The Mandarin that “senior executive role changes at the ATO are a regular part of our strategy to build diverse experience and enhance leadership.”
“These movements, planned with input from all involved, are part of our broader approach to workforce management and strengthening our leadership capabilities.”
The ATO spokesperson said, “The newly established deputy commissioner role for Enterprise Risk, Change, and Integration will enable change readiness for major ATO programs and system transformations.
“It will strengthen the ATO’s capability to deliver and assure complex, technology-enabled change across systems, processes and people. Consistent with ATO performance evolution, it will also bring ATO-wide focus on evaluation.
“These movements reflect our commitment to aligning leadership with strategic priorities and ensuring we are well-positioned to deliver on our purpose.”
Allegro Funds, which acquired the Australian operations of the company in 2024. Recoveriescorp is now part of the Symbos Group, which is owned by Allegro.
Current owner: Allegro Funds.
Previous owner: The global Nutun group.
Parent company: Recoveriescorp is part of the Symbos Group, which is owned by Allegro Funds.
Transaction Capital Risk Services Australia CEO Mark Josman also joins the Recoveries Group board alongside Joan Fitzpatrick (Chairman), Mr Sholl, John Wauchope, Andrew Metcalfe, David Hurwitz, David McAlpin and Michael Mendelowitz.
ATO battle erupts after ABC presenter claims $5,878 in rent as WFH expense: 'Not yet final' A tax expert told Yahoo Finance she doesn't believe the Melbourne worker's WFH deductions will set a new precedent for other renters across the country.
The inquiry into football identity John Adams’ $100m Ponzi scheme is over and it’s bad news for the top bookmakers, racing personalities and sport figures who sunk cash into the late legal eagle’s dodgy activities.
Top bookmakers, racing industry identities and sporting figures were among a vast number of investors who lost a total of up to $100 million sunk into the activities of the late legal eagle and football identity.
A two-year Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner’s investigation into Adams’ mortgage and loan business from AMS Lawyers in Ivanhoe was recently completed.
It has confirmed the news is bad for those who put money into the scheme.
“Most funds invested in the Loan Business have been dissipated and are not available for return to investors,” was one of the findings.
The VLSBC report says it appeared funds deposited with Adams were not actually used for loans.
Instead, they were often distributed to investors in what they believed was a monthly interest payment from the non-existent loans.
The report found Adams had acted alone.
“There is no evidence to suggest that any AMS lawyers, other staff or third parties other than Mr Adams participated in or had knowledge of how the Loan Business actually operated,” it said.
The Herald Sun revealed in October, 2023 that massive amounts of money had been lost to Adams in what allegedly amounted to a Ponzi scheme.
Those who invested were being offered returns up to eight per cent in the period before Adams died in that month.
Law firm Gordon Legal last year announced it had been instructed to run test cases in the Supreme Court over what happened at AMS.
Two bookmakers reportedly lost $16 million between them after dealing with Adams.
A big-name football identity and a close relative lost $2.2 million, a senior legal figure stood to drop over $1 million and a Stawell Gift-winning athlete was also hit hard.
—-
Some estimates have put the scale of losses in the scheme run by suburban Melbourne lawyer John Adams at $100 million – more than four times the amount high-profile Sydney con woman Melissa Caddick stole from her victims before disappearing in 2020.
