Google said it would invest about $736 million in Australia over the next five years, resetting ties just months after it threatened to pull its services in the country in response to tougher government regulation
A smartphone with a Google app icon is seen in front of the displayed Australian flag in this illustration, January 22, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
However, the law went ahead and Google backed away from its threat. Google and Facebook instead struck licencing deals with most of Australia's main media companies.Australia has also said it plans to make large internet companies take legal responsibilty for defamation and misinformation hosted on their platforms, a change which the technology sector has largely opposed.
The Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology, a think tank, said the spending commitment made a "great headline" but "simply paying tax on Australian earnings would deliver far more money to Australia". Google paid less than 1% tax on Australian annual earnings of about A$5 billion, and "when big tech offers to put money into a nation there are always strings attached", said centre director Peter Lewis.Sign up for our newsletter
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