Well this is an interesting development. The tax office is to be given direct access to people’s bank accounts so it can take out money which it says it is owed.

So much for client confidentiality and security. ‘Hello Mr Banker, Mrs Smit owes us money.’ ‘Oh yes tax office, please help yourselves…’ The mind boggles.
This interesting little law was apparently approved by both senators and members of parliament last year without so much as a whimper.
It makes you wonder what our representatives are actually up to when new laws are being discussed or did no-one realise what changing article 19 of the Collection Law would actually mean? But then, MPs are bound to be up to date with their taxes, aren’t they?
The tax office says that going directly into your bank account will be cheaper than taking the long road through the courts and sending in the bailiffs. Cheaper for who, one wonders. Hard to see why they worry about that little expense when the cost of recovering debts is always passed on to the hapless debtor anyway.
And what about the banks’ role in this affair? Most of them have just been given loads and loads of taxpayers cash to tide them over during the global economic crisis. Doubtless the banks will be equally considerate to tax bill defaulters when they use the same excuse.