Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan caused a stir among the tax community earlier in the year when, in speech to the Tax Institute, he said some tax agents were “deliberately scamming or cheating the system” when it came to work-related expense deductions.

His warning came as the Tax Office was undertaking random audits of taxpayers to get a better idea of how much money might be owed by people over-claiming on work expenses.

Chris Jordan has warned on incorrect work-related deductions. Credit:Penny Bradfield

Australian taxpayers made $22 billion worth of work-related expense claims in the 2015 financial year.

In July, the Tax Office, released its individual income tax gap figure, with the help of an expert panel including University of NSW Professor Neil Warren; a tax expert who formerly worked at the IMF and the OECD, Richard Highfield; and well-known economist Saul Eslake.