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Governments around the world are rewriting law to deal with tax avoidance by multinationals like Google. Peter Power/Reuters

‘War’ on tax avoidance overlooks some obvious legal fixes

Global measures to crack down on tax avoidance by multinationals will take some time to deliver. And there’s still work to be done locally.
Google vice president Matt Brittin (right) and John Dixon, Ernst and Young’s head of tax (left), giving evidence to a Public Accounts Committee on tax avoidance in 2013. PA / PA Archive

How governments are helping big companies pay less tax

Governments may pledge to stop big companies from exploiting tax avoidance loopholes, but are they being honest?
OECD Director of Tax Pascal Saint-Amans has been a strong advocate of global cooperation on tax avoidance. Dan Himbrechts/AAP

OECD plan means governments no longer taxing in the dark

Country-by-country reporting is the big achievement of the OECD’s plan to help stop multinational tax avoidance.
Introducing a so-called ‘Netflix" tax in Australia makes sense. AAP/NewZulu/Richard Goldschmidt

The “Netflix tax” - coming to a country near you

The arrival of Netflix in Australia has brought into sharp relief the GST base erosion problem caused by global digital commerce. Along with the non-taxation of low-value imported goods, the absence of…
Greens leader Christine Milne argues Australia is not doing enough to combat corporate tax avoidance. Lukas Coch/AAP

Experts caution Australia on unilateral ‘Google tax’

Treasurer Joe Hockey is considering a Google tax similar to that introduced in the UK, but experts warn it could derail global action on tax avoidance.
Naming and shaming is not really the main agenda of tax transparency. Bart Maguire/Flickr

Tax transparency can work for companies if they do it right

Companies that embrace tax disclosures and remind the public they are contributing to the economy could actually benefit from greater transparency.
OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration Director Pascal Saint-Amans has been leading the charge against tax avoidance. Dominika Lis/G20 Australia

G20 tax reform plan should prevent another Lux leaks

The G20 Communique is good news on the international tax reform front. As part of the G20 commitment to boost economic resilience the Communique commits G20 nations to taking action to ensure fairness…
Pressure is building ahead of the Brisbane G20 Leaders’ Summit for action on tax avoidance by multinationals. Andrew Sutherland/Flickr

Key events in the G20 push on tax avoidance

Tax avoidance by multinational enterprises is not new. But the current level of political will and public outcry on the issue is uncommon in the history of taxation. The upcoming G20 meeting in Brisbane…
The Finance Ministers meeting in Cairns is a chance for Treasurer Joe Hockey to show leadership on OECD-recommended tax reform. Dan Himbrechts/AAP

G20 host Australia faces hard truths of multinational profit shifting

The G20 Finance Ministers have the opportunity this weekend to endorse the initial recommendations of the OECD on how to address the global problem of multinational tax avoidance. The work of the OECD…
Google books much of its Australian profit to offshore operations. Tawel/Flickr

Information is power: OECD tax plan puts Apple and Google on notice

Public outcries over tax avoidance by multinational enterprises like Apple and Google have pushed politicians to act. The unprecedented international political will to combat base erosion profit shifting…
US multinationals, through a network of lobby groups, are pushing back against attempts to reform international corporate taxation. EPA/Michael Reynolds

G20 tax reform mired in shadowy world of lobbying

Researchers estimate the US loses more than US$90 billion annually in corporate income tax revenues from tax loopholes and tax havens, also known as base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). With a growing…
The G20 leaders agree more must be done to address tax avoidance, but the multinationals they’re targeting could be having the last laugh. William West/AAP

Multinationals unfazed by G20 tax crackdown

The G20 finance ministers have once again agreed to cooperate to counter aggressive cross-border tax avoidance by multinationals. Many US firms are using tax avoidance schemes for their non-US earnings…
Profit shifting by multinationals will be a key focus of the G20 under Australia’s presidency this year. AAP

The G20 and the taxing issue of making big business pay

Australia has officially commenced its presidency of the G20 and preparations are underway for the November 2014 Summit, when the leaders of the world’s biggest economies will meet in Brisbane. The G20…

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