Data released in the ATO's Tax Transparency Report today showing that a third of our largest companies paid no corporate tax last year are proof that the system is rigged in favour of big corporations who make massive political donations, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.
"We have two sets of rules in this country: one for big corporations who can afford to donate to Labor or the Liberals and another for the rest of us - and this report proves it," Di Natale said.
"What kind of message does it send when a multi-billion dollar corporation like Whitehaven Coal pays less tax than a nurse on $54,000 a year? It's time that we ended the loopholes that allow big, polluting companies to opt out of paying their fair share towards our essential services.
"If you can afford to make massive political donations so political parties will deliver policies that increase your company profits, then you can afford to pay your fair share of tax," said Greens Democracy Spokesperson Sen. Larissa Waters.
"Our democracy is sold out. We need to stop the rorts that let big corporates get away with tax avoidance and remove the toxic influence of donations from our parliament ."
NOTE: Of the top 100 companies that paid no tax, 22 are fossil fuel companies:
EXXONMOBIL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LTD
AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG PTY LTD
CHEVRON AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD
SHELL ENERGY HOLDINGS AUSTRALIA LIMITED
PEABODY AUSTRALIA HOLDCO PTY LTD
YANCOAL AUSTRALIA LIMITED
HOPE DOWNS MARKETING COMPANY PTY LTD
QGC UPSTREAM HOLDINGS PTY LIMITED
SANTOS LIMITED
BHP (AUS) DDS PTY LTD
PIONEER SAIL HOLDINGS PTY LTD
PUMA ENERGY (AUSTRALIA) HOLDINGS PTY LTD
WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED
INTERNATIONAL POWER (AUSTRALIA) HOLDINGS PTY LTD
PETRONAS AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
CNOOC GAS AND POWER (AUS) INVESTMENT PTY LTD
QUADRANT ENERGY HOLDINGS PTY LTD
ULAN COAL MINES LIMITED
CLERMONT COAL MINES LTD
BANPU AUSTRALIA CO. PTY LTD
CONOCOPHILLIPS AUSTRALIA GAS HOLDINGS PTY LTD
