The Mossack Fonseca tax avoidance leaks reported on 4 Corners last night not only reveal the inadequacy of tax avoidance laws in Australia but also raise serious concerns around privatisation.
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA), General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said questions have to be asked around the privatisation of our health services and the process of awarding government contracts.
“The leaked documents highlight how a lack of transparency enables private companies to exploit the system by shifting profits offshore to shelf companies,” Mr Holmes said.
“Tax payers’ money that could be going towards our healthcare system is instead being handed over to companies who pay little or no tax. While governments complain about the lack of revenue to fund health and education, they’re allowing money to go into the pockets of extremely wealthy, and at times corrupt, individuals overseas.
“It’s disgusting and unacceptable that our politicians let this happen while squabbling over who is responsible for healthcare funding. Instead of punishing the poor by raising income taxes or the GST, we should be looking to implement a fairer and cleaner financial system.
“It’s time we held the government to account and introduced tougher laws to address the tax avoidance issue. Until a democratic, transparent measure is put in place to close the loopholes, we need to demand Federal and State privatisation agendas are put on hold.
“Tax avoidance is the reason why it’s so important to retain public services that can be managed by the government, not put under a veil of secrecy that allows tax payers’ money to be sent offshore.”
Download this media release: Tax avoidance leaks question the real agenda of privatisation
