Ann: Japanese Consortium Update on Progress on KNP Goongarrie Hub, page-81

Yes, the effective rate will still be at 23.5%.

Why does the ATO make life so difficult?

I'm being cynical here, but in the course of your professional career, you might have met employees/contractors who implement complicated policies and procedures and other work-related practices just to preserve their roles and long-term relevancy in their own work spheres.
I have witnessed pretty much the same as have my friends and relatives.

We can look at Argentina, where Javier Millei downsized the government to manage runaway costs and inflation. Has Argentina collapsed or improved? Are his critics the very ones adversely affected by the downsizing?
We can also look closer home at the state of Victoria. What's-his-name is gone after leaving the state almost broke. Next comes the downsizing to manage runaway unnecessary govt expenditure. Has Victoria collapsed or on the road to improvement?

I believe it is not beyond reason to argue that the ATO might also be bloated with employees or contractors whose professional priorities are not primarily focussed on improving the ATO system or contributing to benefit the country.