I never said Google moved for the tax breaks; I used that example to point out the impact their presence has had on the Sydney startup scene.
The fact a lot of companies are using Singapore as their regional headquarters is the real measure of our competitiveness to attract these companies, of which tax is a major but not sole factor. Elias Bizannes http://eliasbizannes.com On Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 4:05 AM, Geoff Langdale <geoff.langd...@gmail.com> wrote: > Has something changed with Google's tax situation? I keep seeing these > references to Google (amongst others, including Facebook) being more > or less attracted by tax breaks here in Australia. As of not too long > ago, they barely paid any tax here: > > "google didn't need excessive government tax breaks to entice them to > come here. " > > Well, no, Google needed only the standard corporate tax rate in > Ireland to come to Australia, apparently: > > http://www.smh.com.au/business/net-profits-the-tax-move-that-makes-google-rich-20090527-bnqk.html > http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/google-figures-in-need-of-advanced-search-20100504-u4lf.html > > I'm not especially irate over this; it's just weird to see people > pointing to Google's presence in Sydney as having something to do with > corporate tax rates in Australia when Google doesn't really pay > Australian corporate tax rates in any way, shape or form. Unless > something has changed since May this year, anyhow. > > Geoff. > > On Dec 3, 2:18 pm, Dylan Jay <d...@pretaweb.com> wrote: >> On 03/12/2010, at 12:08 PM, Elias Bizannes wrote: >> >> > No Australian tech startup will get big unless it plans to go overseas >> > one day. Any success we've had had looked beyond Australia. The >> > market's just not big enough. Just look at Atlassian's international >> > focus or the fact 95% of Tjoos.com revenue came from the US (and it >> > wouldn't surprise me if that was the same case as retailmenot.com) >> >> > Multi-nationals bring experienced employees from other markets, >> > capital injections, and generate talent demand in the local market. >> > Looks at what Google's HQ in Sydney has done: it acquired a startup >> > (now known as Google Maps), it's brought some kick-arse people from >> >> you made my point for me. Atlassian and Tjoos both kept a most of >> their development/founders local and google didn't need excessive >> government tax breaks to entice them to come here. >> >> I'm just putting it out there, that perhaps large companies attracted >> by tax incentives are the sort that will create a meaningful impact. >> I'm not saying its a bad idea, just that there are better ways to >> spend the money such as preventing our education system going down the >> drain, or giving providing free rent to small startups. >> >> I can't really complain too loudly I guess since I'm a product of a >> one of the largest Sydney based R&D arms of a US multinational of it's >> day, Bell labs (Avaya/Lucent). I'm one of several ex-employess that >> have startups (another has even exited via selling to another well >> known australian startup). Again however, no big tax incentives were >> needed other than what is already offered. What it took was some >> really strong willed managers that fought tooth and nail to be >> recognised and gain projects from a culture of people that don't think >> out side their own country very much. >> In the same way that people like MCB and Lars made hard decisions to >> stay rooted in Australia. These people show you can stay here and >> still be successful. Lots of people want to follow their lead. Let's >> ask for money to help these new startups, not help facebook, microsoft >> or citrix etc. >> >> >> >> > Of all the Aussies in the Valley, almost all of us are committed to >> > coming back one day. Let people go overseas and get experience and >> > they'll come back -- we don't need to lock them to Australia. Thats a >> > very short-term view of building the industry as yes it hurts us now, >> > but benefits accrue in the long term. Some of the Aussies have already >> > had success here and will bring that money back to Australia as >> > angels, along with the experience they've developed. >> >> > Elias Bizannes >> >http://eliasbizannes.com >> >> > On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 4:54 PM, Dylan Jay <d...@pretaweb.com> wrote: >> >> >> On 03/12/2010, at 9:10 AM, Elias Bizannes wrote: >> >> >>> The government needs to focus on increasing incentives for >> >>> entrepreneurs and angels through tax policy. Reduce taxes so that it >> >>> attracts multinationals, whose workforce build the industry (Google >> >>> now, Facebook tomorrow) and provide an exit market for a developing >> >>> angel industry and early stage market. >> >> >> I'm no expert but that seemed to have worked out badly for Ireland. >> >> >> maybe keeping successful startups from leaving is better than >> >> transplanting >> >> multinationals here since they are more likely to be committed + >> >> become >> >> angel investor/mentors? >> >> >> -- >> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon >> >> Beach >> >> Australia mailing list. >> >> >> Guidelines on discussion: >> >>http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e13... >> >> >> No lurkers! 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