Bank seeks to block Aussie tax office from clients

(Herald Sun): THE ANZ Bank has sought court orders to block the Australian Taxation Office from accessing the confidential records of 13,000 customers of its Vanuatu operation in a dramatic escalation of the ATO’s investigation into tax havens. A high-powered legal team representing the ANZ, which has the largest Vanuatu operation of the four major banks, lodged Federal Court documents that effectively argue the tax office is engaged in a fishing expedition as part of the Project Wickenby crackdown on tax avoidance. The bank says in its statement of claim that compliance with two December 17 notices from the ATO, which seek open access to customer data, would breach Vanuatu criminal law and put its licence to operate in the Pacific island nation at risk.

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