The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) released a report today in Geneva outlining a corporate structure of over 600 shell companies that Chevron uses to shift billions of US dollars to secretive tax havens.
“Chevron is notorious for its tax dodging, but the Coalition government has failed to deal with this until now, partly because it is in bed with the fossil fuel industry, which makes a hobby of tax minimisation and bullying,” said Dominique Rowe, Head of Campaigns for Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
“We clearly need more transparency in how energy deals are forged, including what sorts of funding structures are approved,” she said.
Ms Rowe said legislation tabled this week to curb tax avoidance by multinationals would help to stop some tax rorts, but not address the pervasive influence of the fossil fuel lobby on government policies.
“Greenpeace is calling for an inquiry into the close ties between the government and the fossil fuel industry for the very reason that companies like Chevron are allowed to send offshore billions that could otherwise benefit taxpayers.
“The Australian Tax Office is already suing Chevron for reducing tax payments from 2004 to 2008 by hundreds of millions of dollars. Yet Chevron is proceeding with Gorgon off Western Australia, which will be the largest liquid natural gas project in the world.
“While this is going on, if the government has its way, Australians could be forced to pay taxes on their small donations to environmental groups, which are committed to preventing over-exploitation of our resources.
“The new Turnbull government can show that it is indeed listening to Australians by resisting efforts from the fossil fuel lobby to taint policies, and acknowledging that civil society plays in ensuring transparency in our political and financial systems,” Ms Rowe said.
ENDS