As long as the ATO doesn’t question why companies are reporting zero tax payable on their income, the public won’t know if serious tax avoidance is happening.
Australia’s rules on how investors engage with companies, coupled with the clout of superannuation investor groups, means there’s potential for more shareholder activism.
China has introduced new currency and investment controls after foreign exchange reserves hit the lowest level since 2011. This could have a profound impact on our trading relationship.
As domestic construction slows, Chinese property developers are starting to look overseas. The potential impacts are diverse, from property prices right through to regional diplomacy.
The new president of the Business Council of Australia Grant King will need to change his message on company tax and other issues to really remain relevant.
Despite worries about a new Asian Financial Crisis, much has changed since the last one in 1997. Even if a crisis were to materialise, it would look quite different from that of two decades ago.
The market for water entitlements is worth tens of billions, encouraging investors to raise funds and get involved. But the data shows they aren’t having a big impact on prices.
US GDP data points to a US rate rise in December, and Australia’s housing affordability problem won’t be helped by current declining building approvals.
There are still a few real-world tests the Diverted Profits Tax or “Google Tax” will have to face before the government can claim it’s among the toughest in the world.