I was watching the DRUM on ABC 24 the other evening when they were discussing philanthropy. One of the guests was being critical of Google for actively avoiding tax around the world and then giving to charitable or community causes, suggesting that – ‘we know better how the money we would have paid in taxes […]

I was watching the DRUM on ABC 24 the other evening when they were discussing philanthropy. One of the guests was being critical of Google for actively avoiding tax around the world and then giving to charitable or community causes, suggesting that – ‘we know better how the money we would have paid in taxes should be spent’ I have no knowledge of how much tax Google does or should pay, but I have hear suggestions that they use ‘transfer pricing’ and other strategies to minimise tax. I have not heard directly from a google executive the view that Google knows better how money should be spent, but I can imagine this being said. I have heard other so called ‘philanthropists’ say it In my view however, any person or organization that puts in place questionable strategies to reduce taxation should NEVER be considered a philanthropist, no matter how much…