Does Australian Corporate Taxation Matter?

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On a GDP-weighted basis the average OECD corporate rate has fallen from 44 percent in 1985 to 31 percent in 2004. Australia operates a flat thirty percent corporate tax rate and this compares well with the current OECD average. Yet, the Business Council of Australia argues that the Australian corporate tax rate is 'uncompetitive'. Certainly, the corporate tax burden (i.e. corporate tax revenue as a proportion of GDP) is very high in Australia, the third highest in the OECD, and the highest in the Asia-Pacific region. This project will evaluate the extent that the corporate tax burden is a hinderance to Australian firms and economic behaviour.