Video conference with the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury and Charities, Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT

“The Morrison Government has failed to tackle tax havens and multinational tax dodging. You’ve got to pay tax like everyone else. If you’re a pay-as-you-go earner then you end up paying the regular tax rate. But multinationals have been getting away with too much for too long and the Group of Seven rich countries has finally said we need to put a floor under company taxes.” said Andrew Leigh MP.

“It’s quite a different philosophy, from the one that the Prime Minister was touting a couple of years ago when he said we had to be part of this race to the bottom in company taxes. Back then there was a race he believed in. It was a race to the bottom. Now we’re actually seeing Britain and the United States looking to raise rates, and all of these rich countries putting a floor under the company taxes, which I think is a great thing for making multinationals pay their fair share.”

“Australia really needs to be part of this discussion. There used to be an OECD steering group that we were a part of. The steering group still exists, but we’re no longer part of it. Metaphorically, we’ve moved from holding the steering wheel to sitting in the backseat. That’s not in our interest.”

“We ought to be part of cracking down on tax havens, not just because they’re used for tax dodging, but also because they’re used for all kinds of other dodgy activity, money launderers, kidnappers, terrorists use tax havens because of their secrecy provisions. We should have no part of tax havens. We ought to be part of raising the standards around the world, ensuring that companies pay a fair share. Those multi-billion-dollar firms can afford to contribute to schools and hospitals like everyone else does.”

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry,(ACCI) held a zoom session with the Hon. Dr. Andrew Leigh MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury and Charities, Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT.

At this video conference, the Shadow Assistant Minister addressed Labor’s priorities and focus in his shadow portfolio areas and in rebuilding the national economy and supporting Australian businesses, also his thoughts on the current COVID situation in Australia and managing the economy through the pandemic impacts.