Outdated tax gives LNG away for free

Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Feb-20

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has downplayed speculation that the federal government will make changes to the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax. However, Jason Ward from the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability & Research says changes to the PRRT are needed as it was originally designed for the oil industry, and Australia’s booming LNG industry means the tax is no longer "fit for purpose". The nation is now the world’s biggest exporter of LNG.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE TAX ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESEARCH, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Call for 10pc royalty on offshore gas amid boom

Original article by Ben Butler
The Australian – Page: 22 : 14-Dec-18

The federal government gained $946m in revenue from the petroleum resource rent tax in 2017, according to data from the Australian Taxation Office. However, the McKell Institute estimates that revenue from the PRRT could increase by $2.8bn a year if a 10 per cent royalty were to be imposed on offshore gas projects. The left-wing think tank argues that the PRRT was designed primarily to encourage the development of marginal oil projects and has little relevance to Australia’s booming gas industry.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, McKELL INSTITUTE, CHEVRON CORPORATION, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, ESSO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE TAX INSTITUTE

PRRT changes may hold up oil and gas projects

Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 20 : 7-Nov-18

Macquarie Group expects Woodside Petroleum to be affected the most by the federal government’s changes to the petroleum resource rent tax’s uplift rate. Meanwhile, Saul Kavonic of Credit Suisse warns that the review of the PRRT’s transfer pricing rules is a greater material risk to the value of existing LNG plants than the increase in the uplift rate, due to the potential for any changes to be retrospective. Macquarie has also cautioned that the transfer pricing review – which is slated to take 12-18 months – could result in delays to oil and gas projects and impact on the sector’s future earnings.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO