Three major tech companies giving evidence at a Senate inquiry into tax avoidance have confirmed they are being audited by the Australian Taxation Office.
Executives from Apple, Google and Microsoft, under questioning at the hearing in Sydney on Wednesday, confirmed they were being investigated.
Google Australia managing director Maile Carnegie said the company made $58 million in revenue in 2013, and profits of just more than $46 million, but paid $7.1 million in tax.
Earlier, Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan continued to refuse to reveal the identities of a number of companies suspected of avoiding tax by shifting billions of dollars offshore.
Committee chairman Sam Dastyari had written to Mr Jordan on Tuesday requesting he reveal the names.
But Mr Jordan refused, and in a response sent to Senator Dastyari and tabled at the hearing on Wednesday, defended the decision on the grounds that naming the companies would undermine public confidence in the tax system.
"The treasurer has been consulted about making these PII (public interest immunity) claims, and has endorsed them being made by me as an independent statutory office holder.
The grounds of the PII claim are as follows," the letter said.
"Disclosure of the information will have a substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient operations of the ATO, contrary to the public interest.
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