Fresh revelations have emerged that a private debt collection firm, hired by the Australian Taxation Office to pursue unpaid taxes, has itself paid no corporate tax. This is despite being awarded government contracts worth tens of millions of dollars.
Multi-Million Dollar Contracts, Zero Tax Paid
According to data published on the government's tender portal, the Australian Taxation Office has awarded contracts worth a total of $42.8 million to the firm Recoveriescorp since 2022. The company's role involves chasing arrears payments on behalf of the tax office, including debts owed by welfare recipients.
However, it has been disclosed that Recoveriescorp has paid zero corporate tax since securing these lucrative public contracts. The revelation raises significant questions about the ethics and oversight of government outsourcing, particularly when a company profiting from collecting public revenue does not appear to contribute to it through standard corporate taxation.
Political Breakthrough on Hate Speech Laws
In other news, a political compromise has been reached on proposed hate speech laws, paving the way for their passage through parliament. The laws were crafted in response to the Bondi beach terror attack in December, with the aim of combating antisemitism.
The legislative breakthrough came after Opposition Leader Sussan Ley agreed to a deal with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese late on Monday. The agreement ends a parliamentary stalemate and is expected to see the revised bill pass successfully.
International Tensions and Domestic Issues
On the international stage, former US President Donald Trump has again made headlines by linking his threats to seize Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize. When questioned on whether he would use force, Trump responded, "no comment." US officials have suggested these threats should be taken seriously, prompting a live-fire training response from the Danish army in Greenland last week.
Domestically, Sydney is grappling with a series of shark attacks, with a man in his 20s left in a critical condition after being bitten at Manly beach on Monday evening. This marks the third such incident at Sydney beaches in just two days.
Meanwhile, an exclusive report reveals that the Northern Territory's incoming administrator made a series of inflammatory remarks in a 2024 speech, insulting the Prime Minister and claiming First Nations people were "the main group responsible" for crime in the region.
