Quarter of Major Australian Firms Paid Zero Tax in 2024-25, ATO Reveals

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has disclosed that more than a quarter of large corporations operating within the country paid no income tax during the 2024-25 financial year. The figures were released in the agency’s latest corporate transparency report.

ATO officials emphasized their scrutiny of entities generating significant revenue without contributing to the tax base, particularly highlighting sectors such as data centres. The regulator stated it aims to ensure that reported tax payments accurately correspond with the level of economic activity occurring domestically.

In parallel developments regarding social services, the Albanese government’s new early intervention initiative, Thriving Kids, officially commenced today. The program is designed to assist children under the age of nine who experience mild developmental delays or autism, providing them with access to essential services administered by state and territory governments.

First announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s administration in February, the scheme represents a gradual transition away from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The government projects that Thriving Kids will completely supersede the NDIS for this demographic by 2028.

A key distinction of the new program is that it does not mandate a formal diagnosis for participation, a change intended to accelerate service delivery and reduce financial burdens on families. Health Minister Mark Butler has assured parents that government support for their children would remain uninterrupted during the shift.

However, the rollout has faced resistance in Queensland, which remains the only Australian state to decline participation in the Thriving Kids program. This refusal has left local families in a transitional limbo as the initial phase of the NDIS replacement scheme launches across the rest of the nation.