Hockey flags multinational tax crackdown

The government will stick with legislative measures to crack down on corporate tax dodgers instead of naming and shaming companies.

Customers are silhouetted inside an Apple Store in Sydney

Treasurer Joe Hockey says he'll introduce new laws to crack down on multinational tax dodgers. (AAP)

Companies that minimise the tax they pay in Australia are unlikely to find themselves named and shamed, but they are in the sights of the tax office.

A report from a Senate inquiry on Monday is expected to call on the government to reveal the names of corporations that avoid paying tax in Australia.

But Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the government won't be doing that because it's got the resources to go after companies in other ways.

"It might suit (Labor senator Sam Dastyari's) political purposes to go and scream the names of these particular companies that he's after but it actually doesn't suit Australia's purposes," Mr Frydenberg told Sky News on Monday.

"The Australian Tax Office is going after these companies."

Treasurer Joe Hockey also promised to introduce in September more legislation cracking down on multinational tax dodgers.

Senator Dastyari, who chaired the inquiry, argued there was a thirst for information within the community about what companies were up to.

"These companies do care about their reputations and they do care about their market share," he told ABC TV.

"Exposing some of the worst practices, I believe, puts a lot more community pressure on these companies."

Independent senator Nick Xenophon, who was also on the inquiry committee, said transparency was key.

"Whatever the government comes up with, the Senate will be in a much better position to consider that legislation given the forensic look we've had at this whole issue," he told ABC radio.

Mr Hockey said it was extraordinary for Senator Dastyari to discuss committee recommendations with media outlets before the report had been signed off by other senators.

"This is a very serious issue that goes to the heart of the integrity of the entire Senate," he told reporters, accusing Senator Dastyari of trivialising the issue by playing political games.

However the senator denied speaking specifically about the unreleased report's recommendations, insisting what he said were his personal views.


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Source: AAP


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