If we want a better, more equal society, we need more tax. But more tax only works if big business pays their fair share

L ast Friday two news reports perfectly encapsulated why people might feel the economy is rigged against them. First, the ATO released the corporate tax transparency report showing that 28% of companies with annual turnover above $100m paid no tax on their income here. Then came a report by Jonathan Barrett on the impact of the ATO’s new initiative of clawing back old tax debts.

The political reality is if we want a better, more equal society, the government needs to raise more tax to pay for better public services and benefits. But more tax only works if the system is also fair.

As I have said many, many times before, Australia is a very low taxing nation – and this is not without consequences.

It’s not a fluke that Australia is the ninth-richest country in the OECD, but has the