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Counter-terror laws debate

The Federal Government will try to pass counter-terrorism laws on the last Parliamentary sitting day of the year, but a planned crackdown on multinational tax avoidance could be delayed.

The government’s plan to strip the Australian citizenship from terrorists with another nationality is set to pass the Senate with Labor’s support.

The Greens and crossbenchers have been voicing their concerns that the laws might place Australians in danger abroad, but the government could cut debate short so that the bill goes through today.

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Less certain of passing is one of the last measures Joe Hockey introduced to Parliament as treasurer — an anti-tax avoidance proposal targeting more than 1,000 companies with annual global revenue of more than $1 billion.

The government has been locked in last-minute negotiations, with the new regime due to start on January 1, 2016.

“Labor is standing in the way of tackling multinational tax avoidance, but talks are continuing and we are hopeful of a solution,” Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said.

The Tax Laws Amendment (Combating Multinational Tax Avoidance) Bill 2015 was passed by the Senate last month, but with additions that were unacceptable to the government.

Labor, the Greens and four Senate crossbenchers attached amendments that would force private Australian companies with revenue of more than $100 million to disclose their annual revenue and tax paid in Australia.

But the government rejected the move in the House of Representatives, setting up a Senate showdown in a bid to pass the 2015 budget measure before Parliament rises for the summer break.

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