The OECD Revenue Statistics released today show Australia as the sixth lowest taxed OECD nation in 2001, with a total tax burden of 30.1 per cent of GDP. This was 6.8 percentage points lower than the OECD average of 36.9 per cent and represents a decrease of 1.4 percentage points in Australia's total taxation level from 2000.
The OECD has 30 members. Those countries with lower tax burdens than Australia are Mexico, Japan, Korea, the United States and Ireland. Those countries with higher tax burdens than Australia are Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and twenty one European countries.
Australia held its place as one of the lowest taxed OECD countries despite declining tax burdens in many other OECD countries which experienced recession and slowdown. Tax burdens fell in 15 out of the 30 OECD countries in 2001, and rose in 9, resulting in an overall fall of 0.2 percentage points in the average tax burden in OECD countries.
A table from the OECD publication detailing the total taxation level, as percentage of GDP, for all OECD countries is attached (see Attachment A).
ATTACHMENT A
Total tax revenue as percentage of GDP
