SYDNEY: Alphabet Inc.’s Google said it would challenge amended tax assessments issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), which is trying to claw back billions of dollars from multinational corporations citing unpaid taxes.
The ATO has increased scrutiny over how much tax multinationals operating in Australia pay. In December, it said it was pursuing seven global businesses over AU$2 billion ($1.50 billion) in unpaid tax.
While the ATO has not named the businesses it is pursuing, Google’s Australia unit said in accounts filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) that it will “lodge an objection” to the tax demand from the ATO.
“The company will continue to uphold its positions against any and all such claims,” Google said in the financial statement released on Friday. The search giant did not disclose how much the ATO has demanded it pay in taxes.
Google and the ATO declined to comment on how much the company’s amended tax bill was.
Treasurer Scott Morrison said in April the country expected to claw back AU$2.9 billion from companies under the legislation.
Australia enacted the Multinational Anti-Avoidance Law in December 2015 and the ATO has introduced new guidelines for foreign trading hubs.
Google Australia restructured its operations effective Jan. 1 of last year to comply with the legislation and its financial statement reveals an increase in revenue and tax for the 2016 calendar year as a result.
Revenue surged to AU$1.14 billion in 2016 from AU$498 million in 2015, while total income tax rose to AU$16 million from AU$2.8 million in 2015, the accounts show.
Google to challenge Australian tax office
Google to challenge Australian tax office
New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.
The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.
Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.
The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.
Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.
Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.
The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.
In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.
