Blacksheep
I'm with you.
There's a difference between tax avoidance and tax minimisation. Just about everyone is obliged to pay tax. But no one is obliged to pay more tax than that required by Law.
The Tax Office is not infallible. Money spent in seeking a second opinion is often money well spent - and possibly tax deductible as well.
As for the ineptitude and incompetence of shiny ars@d pay clerks, either uniformed or otherwise, COMPLAIN so that KITA's are administered to those who can't or won't do their jobs properly.