[raider]

Dear Ozzies,

It appears that the government will be reducing the GST threshold for imported goods from the current A$1000 to A$500. Does this move affect any of you?

It does affect me as it looks like I will be paying more from ordering from Adorama/BHP.

raider

[pop4]

Got a link to the news article?

I know the Productivity Commission were looking into it after the campaign by Gerry Harvey and other retailers, but I haven't heard anything about it actually being implemented?

And yes, it will affect me, and any other Aussies for that matter, if we import anything from overseas with a value of over $500; I don't do it often, but I have done so before.

[xjjohnno]

It would affect me but so far the deal is far from being done.
As for the Gerry Harveys of the world, perhaps they might want to look at their own operations and stop insulting the consumers intelligence.

[raider]

Well, these are the 2 news I have read this couple of days. There may be more but I did not google that much.

Changing GST threshold 'no help'

Government considered taxing overseas purchases worth $500 with GST | Courier Mail

According to the 2nd link, it says that the ruling is effective from 1st July 2011?? Hmm...if that is true, it means that anything we buy exceeding $500 from now onwards will be subjected to GST.

[adr1an]

Dont those news articles say 'considered' - its probably on the back on Nick Minchin today saying they were still waiting for a further review from PC and that it wouldn't help retailers anyway.

I dont see anything saying something was at all passed - and Hansard record at PH gives you a bit of a blank look on the subject...

Nothing to get worried about at all yet.. unless theres something else hiding out there - nothing says a change to anything...

[twitch]

Any government that passes this into law has got a big pair. Maybe they want to set another all time record for low approval ratings?

[pop4]

Government considered taxing overseas purchases worth $500 with GST | Courier Mail

According to the link, it says that the ruling is effective from 1st July 2011?? Hmm...if that is true, it means that anything we buy exceeding $500 from now onwards will be subjected to GST.

No, I would suggest you read the article again. The government did consider the move to lower the GST threshold to $500, and asked Customs/Treasury as to a possible earliest date for such a move; the response they received was that it would have been possible from 1st July 2011. But, nothing has actually been done.

To break it down further:
Government: I'm thinking about reducing the GST threshold. Customs, is it administratively feasible? Treasury, what's the earliest that I can reduce the GST threshold if I wanted to do so?
Customs: yep, it's administratively feasible.
Treasury: I reckon we can start doing so on 1st July 2011.
Government: alright, I'll think about it.
....
Government: actually, you know what, I'll order a Productivity Commission Inquiry, and we'll see what they say before taking further action.

If any Aussies are planning to import anything between $500 and $1000 and don't want to risk possibly being slugged GST on their purchase in the future, I would suggest that now would be a pretty good time to do so, especially with the $AUD hitting record highs again

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Last edited by pop4; 07-27-2011 at 11:43 PM.

[raider]

pop4. I read that article again and U are absolutely right.

Right now would be the best time to get those limited pancakes from adorama/BHP I just wish I have the cash

[xjjohnno]

Before we all get to grumpy with the government, consider the equivalents to GST paid in other countries and their thresholds. At $500 we are probably well ahead of EU and North American countries. Some items it would be wise to exempt from a revised import threshold, mainly second hand items that might not be available here. My big buys are normally not so easy to find lenses and never been available here lenses like ZK mount Zeiss.

[pop4]

The Productivity Commission's draft report is out, and it looks like the the $1000 gst threshold should be staying put for now, but only because it's going to cost too much to lower it:

Retailers to blame for own woes: Productivity Commission | Zappone

[cmohr]

Yeah, I think it will affect me.....I was actually looking at the import duty/tax calculator last night, and the website had the threshold at 1000.00, It calculates the customs handling charges and GST tax on items.

[lithos]

Oh, right.

The only difference between Aus prices and US price is a mere ten percent.

To paraphrase a wise man, tell the retailer's they're dreaming.

We should be encouraging a little thing called "competition," not corporate welfare.

And while we're at it, Frank Lowy can kiss my rotten-

[adr1an]

Guys - you have read the rest of page one to discover the OP was a little misleading in his original post ??
And as posted by pop4 above... PC came back and as they more or less indicated last year - dropping below $1000 isn't worth it - from a cost of enforcement versus revenue raised perspective.

Online not to blame for retailers' woes: Productivity Commission

[emem48]

.. that halved the threshold for GST on imported goods into Australia.