On Thursday, August 25, a Mercury article headlined "ATO chases ex-Premier's son" wrongly claimed the Australian Tax Office was seeking $735 million from Ben Gray as Managing Director of TPG Capital Australia.
The Mercury accepts that this is not true and apologises unreservedly to Mr Gray.
The Federal Court orders merely allow the ATO to serve Demand Notices on two offshore companies by leaving them with Mr Gray.
The ATO demands do not relate to Mr Gray personally and Mr Gray has confirmed that he is not a director of the offshore companies to which the notice is directed, as claimed in The Mercury.
Mr Gray says that he has answered all questions asked by the ATO in relation to the Myer IPO. Additionaly, TPG says it "strongly believes that it has met all of its Australian tax obligations in connection with the investment in Myer Department Stores and its other investment activities in Australia and at all times has complied with Australian taxation laws as will continue to do so in the future."
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