Written by Daniel Pedavoli

ATO closes the gap on corporates avoiding tax 

According to the latest figures from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)’s Corporate Tax Transparency report, 28 per cent of Australia’s largest companies paid no tax in the 2023-2024.  

The total income for the 4,110 entities in this tax bracket was $3.3 trillion, taxable income was $365.5 billion, and tax payable was $95.7 billion. It is the first time since the ATO’s transparency report began in 2014, that the share of large companies paying no tax has dropped below 30 per cent.  

The ATO attributed the decline to a combination of improved economic conditions and its increased oversight by its Tax Avoidance Taskforce holding large corporates to account. 

SBS reveals new way for marketers be more sustainable 

SBS has unveiled its new product, SBS Brief Green, which seeks to provide marketers with a sustainability toolkit that designs media plans to reduce advertising emissions without compromising media outcomes, such as reach and performance.  

Using the Ad Net Zero framework and in partnership with Scope3, SBS Brief Green aims to support brands align their media strategy with their wider business climate commitments in a cost-effective way. 

The initiative also acts as the national broadcaster’s umbrella brand for actions that it is taking in the sustainability space within the Australian media market. SBS was the first broadcaster to measure its internal emissions, move to 100 per cent renewable energy, and set bold targets for Net Zero on operational and supplier emissions.   

Snapchat and Meta pivot on advertising  

Snapchat reporting shows strategically-placed ads in user inboxes has been successful following integration into chat feeds. The company reported an 18 per cent lift when sponsored Snaps were in a campaign mix, doubling conversions when compared to other Snapchat ad options. 

Meanwhile, Meta has reported the ban on political electoral and social issue ads in the EU following political regulations. The EU has introduced new Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulations, which mean social platforms need to comply with obligations, such as labelling political ads and disclosing who is paying for the ad. 

These updates provide pivotal insights into the future of social media advertising, its role in politics, and the need for transparency to keep voters informed.  

NRL wins grand final ratings game against AFL  

For the first time in a decade, the 2025 NRL Grand Final has drawn a larger audience than the AFL Grand Final.  

The NRL clash between the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm averaged 4.46 million viewers nationally, with an overall reach of 6.4 million and1.3 million viewers streaming via 9Now. In comparison, the 2025 AFL Grand Final, which saw the Geelong Cats versus the Brisbane Lions, had an average viewership of 4.08 million, with a total reach of 6.1 million, plus 969,000 streaming the game on 7plus.  

The strong streaming numbers for the NRL suggests that younger viewers or general viewers prefer digital platforms and are engaging heavily. The lack of a NSW team could also have enticed greater viewership from Queensland, Victoria and other states, proving effective when paired with NSW’s seemingly unconditional love for NRL.