[BITList] You can't make this stuff up, can you!

[John Feltham]

G'day folks,


In the next sitting of Parliament the Abbott Government wants to pass a law that would hide the tax details of 700 major companies – corporations headed up by the likes of Gina Rinehart and James Packer. 

Their excuse? Their CEOs might be kidnapped if people knew how wealthy they were. 

You can't make this stuff up!

The current number of billionaire (or even millionaire) kidnappings in Australia is down to 'zero', from a previous record low of 'never'. Indeed, documents requested under Freedom of Information revealed that the Government's proposal was not informed by any advice from police or security agencies. It begs the question: what's the real reason for a law like this? 

Disclosure and transparency are an essential part of any tax system because they ensure we can see whether corporations are paying the tax they're meant to – tax that helps fund essential services like schools, hospitals and universities. But whether Australians can hold major corporations to account over their tax affairs will all come down to the Senate crossbench who are currently being hounded by Government Ministers desperate to get this legislation through. 

Did you vote for this mob?

I didn’t.

Meanwhile the rich keep on getting richer, like they will continue to do under the Tony Abbott LNP Government.


ooroo