If you had loved ones in an aged care home that was owned by men convicted of torturing more than a million chickens, you'd surely want to know.

A Victorian case where precisely that happened has been cited as a driving force for a new business registry being set up by the federal government.

The register will reveal the previously hidden ownership of many Australian businesses and trusts, bolstering transparency.

After years of policy design, consultation, and many millions of dollars, assistant treasury minister Andrew Leigh has opted to forge ahead with an publicly available register by 2028.

That's a change from 2024, when the government planned an intermediary registry open only to small clique of regulators, academics, law enforcement and journalists.

Tax transparency campaigner

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