A fiery stoush has erupted between the chief executive of Rupert Murdoch 's media empire in Australia and a senator who questioned why the company runs a national newspaper at a multi-million dollar loss . During a tumultuous day of proceedings at a corporate tax inquiry in Sydney today , News Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke was peppered with questions from Greens senator and party leader Christine Milne about why The Australian newspaper operates as a business when it is not profitable . When Mr Clarke defended the newspaper as the 'finest national newspaper operating in Australia ' , Ms Milne flatly told the inquiry , 'you and I wo n't agree on that ' . 'You 're a minority , ' Mr Clarke fired back . 'Not from the number of people who buy your newspaper , ' Ms Milne responded . Scroll down for video . A fiery stoush erupted News Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke and a senator who questioned why the company runs a national newspaper at a multi-million dollar loss . Clarke was peppered with questions from Greens senator Christine Milne about why The Australian newspaper continued to when it is not profitable . As Christine Milne made her opinion about The Australian newspaper clear , News Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke fired back : 'You 're a minority ' 'Not according to sales , ' Greens Senator Christine Milne responded . ' I 'm sorry ? ' Mr Clarke asked . 'How many do we sell a day ? 'You sell a very small number , ' Ms Milne responded . Mr Clarke also rejected allegations recently published by Fairfax Media alleging $ 4.5 billion had been siphoned from Mr Murdoch 's Australian operations to the United States virtually tax free . He told the hearing the report was 'hopelessly wrong ' , arguing the stories were 'either deliberately misleading or no idea ; looking at the author ( business correspondent Michael West ) , I would say both ' . In her questioning , Ms Milne also alleged The Australian was run for ideological purposes . Mr Clarke , who argued the paper examined policy , accepted her contention . It has been previously reported that the national broadsheet lost $ 30 million in the 2012/13 financial year . The paper was reportedly hoping to half that loss in the 2013/14 financial year . Also at Wednesday 's hearing , the inquiry panel heard that the Australian arms of technology giants Google , Apple and Microsoft are being audited by the Australian Tax Office . Google Australia 's managing director Maile Carnegie ( centre ) , Microsoft 's Bill Semple and Apple Australia Vice President Tony King are pictured fronting today 's inquiry . Google Australia 's managing director Maile Carnegie ( left ) , Apple Australia Vice President Tony King and Microsoft 's Bill Semple appear at the inquiry . Committee chair Sam Dastyari is pictured listening on as the three tech giants argued their case before the inquiry . Executives from the three major companies confirmed that they were being investigated . Google Australia managing director Maile Carnegie said the company made $ 58 million in revenue in 2013 , and profits of just more than $ 46 million , but paid $ 7.1 million in tax . Earlier , Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan continued to refuse to reveal the identities of a number of companies suspected of avoiding tax by shifting billions of dollars offshore . Committee chairman Sam Dastyari had written to Mr Jordan on Tuesday requesting he reveal the names . But Mr Jordan refused , and in a response sent to Senator Dastyari and tabled at the hearing on Wednesday , defended the decision on the grounds that naming the companies would undermine public confidence in the tax system . 'The Treasurer has been consulted about making these PII ( public interest immunity ) claims , and has endorsed them being made by me as an independent statutory office holder . The grounds of the PII claim are as follows , ' the letter said . 'Disclosure of the information will have a substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient operations of the ATO , contrary to the public interest . '
News Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke gave evidence at a corporate tax inquiry today . Mr Clarke engaged in a fiery sparring match with Australian leader Christine Milne . Ms Milne expressed a dim view of The Greens newspaper , which is published by News Corp Australia . 'You 're a minority , ' Mr Clarke argued . 'Not according to sales , ' Ms Milne responded . Executives from Google , Microsoft and Apple also appeared at the hearing in Sydney .