Andrew Leigh

IS THE GOVERNMENT OUTSOURCING TAX COLLECTION TO SNITCHES?

In their latest attempt to look busy on multinational tax, reports today suggest the Government is considering a plan to have employees snitch on their bosses in return for a cut of the returns.     

This comes from a government that has cut 4,700 jobs from the Australian Tax Office, including around 1,000 jobs specifically from its Audit area. 

It is finally realising two years too late that sacking the staff who monitor tax compliance is no way to ensure everyone pays their fair share of tax.

Instead of encouraging Australians to dob on one another, the Government should properly resource the ATO to do the important work expected of it.

And in place of floating half-formed plans to newspapers, the Government should just adopt Labor’s $7.2 billion multinational tax plan which has now been on the table for almost a year.   

After voting for less tax transparency last year, it is laughable to think that the government now plans to pay employees to spill tax secrets.

The Abbott-Turnbull Government is on its third Assistant Treasurer in two years, and the chaos is showing.

Getting tough on multinational taxation requires robust tax laws and a strong tax office, not more thought balloons.

WEDNESDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2016

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