The accounts reveal Facebook paid its overseas affiliates $100 million more last year than it did in 2022 for “purchases of services”, up to $1.14 billion from $1.03 billion.

Funnelling more money offshore meant locally reported revenue fell to $209 million in 2023 from $224.6 million the year before. Its local spending on professional services, office expenses and employee benefits fell, giving the Australian entity a post-tax profit boost to $47.1 million in 2023, from $34.7 million.

The number of people working for Facebook in Australia fell by 16 per cent, after Meta announced a plan to cut 10,000 employees. Its local headcount fell to 131 from 156.

The figures posted with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission are a glimpse into Meta’s revenue from Australia. Last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission estimated Meta made around $5 billion from Australian consumers and businesses through the likes of Instagram and Facebook.

Most of that money was spent directly with one of its overseas entities – Facebook Ireland, for example – and therefore does not appear on its local balance sheet.

Despite the increase in Facebook’s local profits, Meta is in the midst of a stoush with the Australian government and media groups after refusing to pay for content posted on its platforms. Facebook has paid an estimated $70 million a year since 2021 to many media companies to host their content, in three-year deals struck under the threat of the former Coalition government’s News Media Bargaining Code. Meta announced last month it would not renew those deals, which all expire over the rest of the year.

The Albanese government says it may draw on the code to force Meta to the negotiating table, and has asked the ACCC to provide a report on the likely impact on publishers.