Australia a G20 laggard on tax crackdown

Australia should be doing more to lead the global discussion on cracking down on multinational tax avoidance and tax havens, Labor says.

"When we look at the pace of change across the G20, Australia is far too often a laggard rather than a leader on multinational tax avoidance," shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

Dr Leigh said Australia should be engaged because if big businesses don't pay their fair share, regular taxpayers will have to pay more or accept poorer services.