EnergyAustralia boss Catherine Tanna has been called an "international corporate tax dodger" over her company's history of paying little to no tax and faces a call to resign from the Reserve Bank board.

Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick used parliamentary privilege on Wednesday afternoon to attack one of Australia's most prominent businesswomen over the electricity company's tax record.

Catherine Tanna is an RBA board member and the managing director of EnergyAustralia. Credit: Peter Braig

Ms Tanna is a director of the Business Council of Australia, a member of Chief Executive Women and a former chairwoman of British multinational BG Australia and has been managing director of EnergyAustralia since 2014.

She was appointed to the RBA board in 2011 by former treasurer Wayne Swan and the term was extended by five years by Joe Hockey. She has one year left in the role under her current term.