Uber Australia doubles annual revenue to $36m
Uber’s Australian division has seen 2016 revenues double to $36m, however it should be noted that Uber Australia only counts 75% of each transaction in the country, according to a recent Senate enquiry. The remaining percentage is routed via the Netherlands to take advantage of the country’s lower tax requirements. The Dutch entity then pays Uber Australia to provide support services. This system has resulted in an ongoing legal battle regarding its Australian tax status and caused the Australian Taxation Office to launch an investigation into companies routing income through low tax jurisdictions.

Uber Australia's 2016 revenue has doubled to $36 million. The Silicon Valley giant's local revenue, according to its latest accounts, increased from $18 million last financial year.

But its entity in Australia does not count all the sales. As Uber told the recent Senate inquiry into corporate tax avoidance, it only counts 75 per cent of each transaction in Australia. The rest – 25 per cent of each transaction – is routed through the Netherlands, a low-tax jurisdiction. This entity then pays Uber Australia a fee for providing service support in Australia.

Uber's accounts show how much it was reimbursed from its parent company for marketing and support costs. Its Australian profit rose to just $1.8 million from $474,000 last year. Its biggest expense was $17.5 million in administrative costs, of which $12.6 million was for "professional fees".