Make tax fair
Extreme inequality is one of the defining issues of our time.
The global inequality crisis is reaching new extremes and is bad for us all. Yet the consequences are harshest for the world’s poorest people. When companies don’t pay their fair share of tax, developing countries are deprived of funds needed for vital services.
It’s the world’s poorest people who suffer the most.
In Oxfam’s recent report into this issue, Prescription for Poverty, it was revealed that four major pharmaceutical companies — Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, Merck and Co and Abbott — were systematically stashing profits in tax havens, avoiding an estimated $146 million in taxes owed to seven developing countries.
Read the Australian fact sheet
Sign the petition and demand that governments act to stop tax dodging. It’s time to Make Tax Fair.
Just like in Australia, developing countries need tax revenue to pay for essential public services like healthcare, education and clean water for everyone. But when multinationals don’t pay their fair share of tax, they make it much harder for developing countries to build stronger and healthier communities.
Tax avoidance is reprehensible but these companies are not necessarily breaking any laws. That’s why we are asking the Australian government to change the rules, making it harder for companies like Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
When multinationals contribute their fair share of tax, people living in poverty have a better chance to build a better future – for themselves and their families. It would be small change for rich multinationals but it would make a big difference for people in the world’s poorest places. The Australian Government has the power to make multinationals pay tax and help prevent extreme inequality from spiraling out of control.
