The commissioner of taxation, Rob Heferen, recently sent an AI-generated meme depicting Collingwood AFL supporters in a less-than-flattering light to all 20,000 staff at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The meme portrayed fans as overweight and disheveled, with missing teeth, and Heferen described it as “not a bad likeness” in his weekly email dispatch, “Commish Connect.”
This email, released under freedom of information laws to the transparency website Right to Know, has sparked discussions both within and outside the ATO. The weekly email typically covers taxation topics and agency news but often includes Heferen’s personal reflections on sports, particularly Australian rules football.
Background on the Controversial Meme
The meme in question was sent after Heferen watched a Collingwood vs. Sydney match. In his email dated April 17, he humorously noted, “No need for any further comment.” The following week, he shared the AI-generated image of a Collingwood fan, which was sent by a Parramatta Eels supporter, depicting the fan with a protruding stomach, unkempt hair, and tattoos.
Heferen, himself a Collingwood supporter, often discusses the team’s performance in his emails. After Collingwood’s loss to the GWS Giants in the opening round of the AFL season, he reassured fans, “The AFL season is long, and it doesn’t matter if your team loses its first game because everyone knows that the first round doesn’t mean very much.”
Historical Context and Stereotypes
The stereotype of Collingwood supporters as “toothless” and “feral” is not new. In 2023, former Guardian Australia journalist Antoun Issa highlighted these stereotypes in a piece about the Collingwood Pride support group, noting, “The ubiquitous loathing of the Magpies, rooted in century-old tropes of the working class, persists despite neither the club nor its suburb today reflecting their humble origins.”
Issa pointed out that despite these stereotypes, Collingwood is now one of the richest clubs in the league, and the suburb has transformed from its working-class roots to an affluent area.
Response and Reactions
According to an ATO spokesperson, there was one complaint made directly to the commissioner and another inquiry through an internal channel about the email. “The commissioner’s office received one piece of correspondence from an employee about the parody representation of a Collingwood fan (of which the commissioner is one himself), as part of a weekly email he sends to the approximately 20,000 ATO staff. Commissioner Heferen responded directly to the correspondence,” the spokesperson stated.
The AI-generated meme gained popularity on social media around April, with many using image-generating AIs to create humorous representations of themselves or their interests. The email became public after an anonymous user, “Collingwood Fan,” filed a request on Right To Know, marking the first public disclosure of the incident.
Implications and Looking Forward
As Collingwood currently sits atop the AFL ladder in the 2025 season, the incident raises questions about the use of humor and stereotypes in professional settings. While some may view the meme as harmless banter, others see it as reinforcing negative stereotypes.
The situation highlights the delicate balance leaders must maintain in communicating with large, diverse teams. It also underscores the growing influence of AI in creating content that can quickly become viral, for better or worse.
Moving forward, the ATO and other organizations might consider guidelines for internal communications to prevent similar controversies. As AI continues to evolve, its role in both professional and personal contexts will likely prompt further discussions about ethics and representation.
