Here we go again: Federal Treasury wants Australia's online shoppers to pay 10% on goods under $1000

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Federal Treasury wants Australia's online shoppers to pay 10% on goods under $1000

Unbelievable, people who have had years to get ready for the eCommerce boom and refused to do anything now expect people who buy from overseas online (Because it is a hell of a lot cheaper) to pay a 10% tax.

-Chris
  • Profile picture of the author Horny Devil
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    OK, the IDIOTS that suggested that a FOREIGN processor accepting money for another should charge the tax should be given a HEFTY fine, and EXPELLED from the government! They know NOTHING about what they are doing.

    HECK, imagine that you bought an item, returned it, and then bought again. Are you now supposed to pay 20%!?!?!?

    THE NERVE!

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Virtualghost
    Here's good one for you a family member of mine moved to Bermuda and had to declare everything they owned,electronics,clothes everything new or used and paid a tax on the items.
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  • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
    Originally Posted by Chris Worner View Post

    Federal Treasury wants Australia's online shoppers to pay 10% on goods under $1000

    Unbelievable, people who have had years to get ready for the eCommerce boom and refused to do anything now expect people who buy from overseas online (Because it is a hell of a lot cheaper) to pay a 10% tax.
    -Chris
    The truth of the matter is, it is embattled retailers like Gerry Harvey (Harvey Norman), Myer and David Jones that are leading the push for the GST ( a great big tax on EVERYTHING) to be added to overseas purchases.

    Anyway. even if it does happen, it won't help these struggling retailers. Goods will STILL be cheaper from overseas, even with 10% whacked on top of the cost.

    And you're quite right about them having had over a decade to gear up for e-commerce. I remember Gerry Harvey saying back in about 2000 (from memory) that the internet was a passing fad, and would never take off.

    Now he's in just about every media outlet (radio, TV, newspapers) crying poor because people have cottoned on to the fact that his stores are a rip off. Ironically, every time he opens his mouth he alerts people to the fact that they can get better deals from overseas.

    No sympathy for him, DJ's or Myers, all of which are overpriced, even compared with other local retailers.

    So, I wouldn't worry about having to pay GST on top of your overseas purchases. You're still getting a better deal than you would from any of the above mentioned outlets.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

      The truth of the matter is, it is embattled retailers like Gerry Harvey (Harvey Norman), Myer and David Jones that are leading the push for the GST ( a great big tax on EVERYTHING) to be added to overseas purchases.

      Anyway. even if it does happen, it won't help these struggling retailers. Goods will STILL be cheaper from overseas, even with 10% whacked on top of the cost.

      And you're quite right about them having had over a decade to gear up for e-commerce. I remember Gerry Harvey saying back in about 2000 (from memory) that the internet was a passing fad, and would never take off.
      And what do THEY sell? MAN, the 13th richest person in australia, and he says something THAT stupid! I heard some say the same about the TV. WOW! I heard about it quite a while ago, and figured it could take off. And be a platform for selling stuff to the general public as well as much more. That was BEFORE HTML! In fat, I ended up on a site that distributed open source code, before I heard the term, and linuses university site where he posted linux. I SAW apache and PERL pop up in the directory when they hit. I just wish I looked at them THEN! In the early 1980s I wondered why the industry didn't stay with UNIX! They ABANDONED it as some sort of hobbyist novelty, even though the IEEE said an OS should be JUST LIKE UNIX!

      Well, around 1984 everyone started moving to UNIX. DEC, IBM, APPLE, and many others. Later, the internet took off in the US. Although I figured people might skip some pictures for speed, etc... things ended up much like I thought they would.

      Now he's in just about every media outlet (radio, TV, newspapers) crying poor because people have cottoned on to the fact that his stores are a rip off. Ironically, every time he opens his mouth he alerts people to the fact that they can get better deals from overseas.

      No sympathy for him, DJ's or Myers, all of which are overpriced, even compared with other local retailers.

      So, I wouldn't worry about having to pay GST on top of your overseas purchases. You're still getting a better deal than you would from any of the above mentioned outlets.
      Well, Australia sounds like they have the same mentality as Europe and the US. The US is only STARTING to think about it, and proposed it. AGAIN, my statements might be prescient. But Europe has tied its tenticles into everything and some taxes are SKY HIGH! And some are hidden. So things can cost more. Even some LOCALLY made goods are cheaper in the US. And there is my story about danish cigarettes costing less in Germany! There re actually companies giving people rides to germany ONLY to buy cheaper items! It was less than like $1.5USD and I heard they got a kick back from a grocery store they always went to, but you could save HUNDREDS of dollars by buying things on those trips.

      So WHAT was my statement? DECADES ago I heard a person calling for a flat sales tax. I called in(The ONLY time I called into a talk show), and I guess they thought I was saying the same thing, because they never put me on, or mentioned my concern. They asked me how MY idea was any different. I said that they should call for a flat sales tax to ******REPLACE****** the income tax, and current sales tax, and get rid of the IRS. The government, of course, just wants to add to things.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author taskemann
    Originally Posted by Chris Worner View Post

    Federal Treasury wants Australia's online shoppers to pay 10% on goods under $1000

    Unbelievable, people who have had years to get ready for the eCommerce boom and refused to do anything now expect people who buy from overseas online (Because it is a hell of a lot cheaper) to pay a 10% tax.

    -Chris
    Well, it has been like that here since our VAT tax law came into effect in the early 1800's :rolleyes: Consider yourself lucky because we have to pay 25% tax. And the goods value doesn't matter. It's 25% tax even if it costs $10 or $1,000,000
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  • Profile picture of the author dcristo
    It's one thing to lower the GST threshold. It's another thing trying to enforce it.
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