Coal mining and gas companies exploiting Australian resources have once again dodged corporate responsibility, with some paying little or no tax in the 2017-18 financial year.
The release of the Federal Corporate Tax Dataset for the period revealed repeat offenders like Arrow Energy paid zero tax, despite earning $617 million and ramping up polluting coal seam gas operations in Queensland.
Santos, which has recently begun fracking in the Northern Territory, earnt a staggering $3.5 billion in the 2017-18 financial year, but also paid zero tax.
Another repeat offender, Whitehaven Coal, also escaped paying any tax, despite earning $2.3 billion.
Meanwhile, coal behemoth Adani finally paid a skerrick of tax after years of avoiding it, this year contributing a miniscule 1% of its earnings to the tax office.
Lock the Gate spokesperson Naomi Hogan said it was outrageous that big mining and gas companies could make billions exploiting resources owned by all Australians, cause hardship for communities directly impacted, and avoid paying a fair amount of tax.
“This is a kick in the teeth to the people whose land and water has been destroyed by coal and gas mining giants across the nation” she said.
“Not only do many of these companies not have a social licence to operate, but they seemingly cannot even do the bare minimum and pay tax like half-decent corporate citizens.
“Farmers in north-west NSW who have always paid their taxes are appalled that Santos and Whitehaven are paying no tax while putting groundwater at risk during a terrible drought.
“Remote communities in the Northern Territory say the information shows that fracking for gas is no solution to economic issues and Santos shouldn’t be allowed to operate there when they don’t pay tax.
“Lock the Gate renews its call on the Australian Taxation Office to get tougher on these tax dodging, polluting companies.”