Tax On Overseas Purchases

[zoomzoom]

Its cheaper to buy Australian components like superpro bushes from overseas than it is in an Australian store (like 200% in some cases). Face it, we get ripped off by a bloated an inefficient system.

[PN-Mad]

Customs aren't dumb - just understaffed

This.

I know most people don't understand the process or the information available to the ACS. The fake invoices are pretty easy to spot. Some companies are mad for it, even if you don't ask.

Some of the examples provide Lolz.

Again, this can't happen any time soon. The investment into both it systems and personel would be massive, and in the short term, unprofitable. That and most places dealing with goods don't have the space to store everything while people lodge payments.

And the gift thing doesn't exist. It's treated exactly the same.

[usmair]

We're one of the lowest taxed nations in the world.

Stop complaining.

Also, this is far from a tax grab. It's slated to cost more to administer than revenue it generates and for that reason it won't happen.

46.5% is not low mate

even 30% on company tax isn't that low

go to Hong Kong, Switzerland, Dubai etc etc and you'll get an idea of what low tax means

[Cowboy1600]

46.5% is not low mate

even 30% on company tax isn't that low

go to Hong Kong, Switzerland, Dubai etc etc and you'll get an idea of what low tax means

You're kidding me right? How about comparing like with like. Dubai is not like Australia, nor is Hong Kong. One has an economy underpinned by sovereign oil exports, the other is a trading hub with 7 million people which is 1/8th the size of Metropolitan Melbourne.

As for Switzerland (a more relevant comparison), when you add up all taxes paid, not just income tax or business tax, Switzerland's tax as a percentage of GDP is almost identical to Australia.

[usmair]

was just referring to what ends up in the individual's back pocket

I have a lot of clients taking up positions in lower tax countries simply because of the difference it makes to their back pocket.

having $450,000 odd taken from your pay when you're making a million dollars hurts quite a bit

last I checked... for Swiss the tax rate was hovering around 25%... even when you add in regional taxes... and even wealth tax (if you're structuring isn't done correctly)... its still a lot lower than 46.5%

[Cowboy1600]

was just referring to what ends up in the individual's back pocket

I have a lot of clients taking up positions in lower tax countries simply because of the difference it makes to their back pocket.

having $450,000 odd taken from your pay when you're making a million dollars hurts quite a bit

last I checked... for Swiss the tax rate was hovering around 25%... even when you add in regional taxes... and even wealth tax (if you're structuring isn't done correctly)... its still a lot lower than 46.5%

Excuse me while I play the worlds smallest violin.

There are a myriad of ways to avoid paying tax for people on that level of income. If they aren't doing so, then that's their problem.

As for people moving to low tax environments, really? Do you REALLY know someone who said "f**k this shit, I'm moving to Mogadishu cause the tax rate there is f**k all"? Or did they move for other reasons and it so happens they have gone to a lower tax environment? Also, what have they given up in regards to lifestyle for their lower tax burden? Do they have a world class hospital system, public transport, good road system, good schools, well kept public spaces, etc, etc? Short of moving to Lichtenstein, I bet they don't. People piss and moan about paying tax, but without it we wouldn't enjoy the lifestyle we do.

And the tax take relative to GDP in Australia and Switzerland is almost identical. As an aside to that, that says nothing for methods to actually minimize nor retrieve that tax. I doubt Switzerland has as many legal tax avoidance schemes as Australia has. And the Swiss tax rate tops out at 40%.

[zebra]

Do they have a world class hospital system, public transport, good road system, good schools, well kept public spaces, etc, etc?

Youre talking about the same australia as the rest of us yeah?

Because last I checked we are at the bottom of that pile

[Cowboy1600]

Youre talking about the same australia as the rest of us yeah?

Because last I checked we are at the bottom of that pile

You're kidding, right?

We piss and moan incessantly about how bad we have it here in Australia, but our lifestyle is better than 99.99% of the rest of the world. We have world class health, education, recreation, infrastructure and so on. Sure, there are countries with some things better than us, but they are rare, and it's even rarer to find a country with everything better than us.

To suggest otherwise is simply ignorant and/or intentionally misleading.

[zebra]

If by recreation you mean football and cricket than yes...anything else....mmm nope

Infrastucture....ever driven in Sydney or Canberra? Public parks? nah I dont feel like getting stabbed and/or end up with a syringe in my foot

public transport? nope...ever tried to catch a bus in canberra or the Goldcoast?

Education? you mean all those teachers with a 12 month tafe course to be an english teacher?

Public heathcare...yeah sure its better than a lot....if you can get a bed

So sure we might be better off than North Korea or Sudan but I can think of a number of countries I would rather live in and not just for financial reasons, but general attitutes of Joe Public is where imo we really fall over

Take the US for example, 99.99% of people in the work force will bend over backwards to help a customer.....compare that to here where its maybe 1%

[usmair]

Excuse me while I play the worlds smallest violin.

There are a myriad of ways to avoid paying tax for people on that level of income. If they aren't doing so, then that's their problem.

As for people moving to low tax environments, really? Do you REALLY know someone who said "f**k this shit, I'm moving to Mogadishu cause the tax rate there is f**k all"? Or did they move for other reasons and it so happens they have gone to a lower tax environment? Also, what have they given up in regards to lifestyle for their lower tax burden? Do they have a world class hospital system, public transport, good road system, good schools, well kept public spaces, etc, etc? Short of moving to Lichtenstein, I bet they don't. People piss and moan about paying tax, but without it we wouldn't enjoy the lifestyle we do.

And the tax take relative to GDP in Australia and Switzerland is almost identical. As an aside to that, that says nothing for methods to actually minimize nor retrieve that tax. I doubt Switzerland has as many legal tax avoidance schemes as Australia has. And the Swiss tax rate tops out at 40%.

that's called tax evasion dude... and I'm sure these guys aren't too keen on going to prison

I completely agree that we have it very good in Aus but the level and complication of tax in this country is ridiculous

we tax absolutely everything... and its not just personal and company tax... stamp duty, pay roll, land tax, luxury car, fbt, gst, levies coming out of our arses... the list goes on and on and on...

half of the revenue raised is spent to administer and retrieve it... and a massive portion is spent on those who are too lazy to go get jobs and earn it themselves . There is a portion that really need government assistance but the majority of people in my neighbourhood (which is not the best area) are mooching off us taxpayers simply because its too easy.

they need to simplify this... and there have been attempts like the Henry review but it never ends up going anywhere... instead they just include more complications like they did the last budget

this government is spending the money like its never going to end... and when they do realise they are not going to get out of deficit they bring it additional taxes like the carbon tax

and I know plenty of clients who have moved from here to HK, London, Paris etc etc... their standard of living is not that different to ours when you're on the level of income these guys are on (private schools, hospitals etc)

and last time I checked... going to a public school in my area pretty much guarantees you a job as a labourer... I had 3 people in my year that went to university... that's not good education by any means

world class hospital systems don't make you wait 5+ hours to get you served.... if you want good health care you need to go private and pay for it... from after tax dollar

public transport in sydney is hopeless... its non-existant in canberra where I'm currently working

public roads in sydney are hopeless... it takes me to 2.5 hours if I want to drive in to work because the system has just been overloaded

the roads are funded by most of us being bent over and getting defected every other week...

real life experiences are very different to how we get rated against the rest of the world on paper

this is by far from the perfect world mate... and I'm not critising because I hate it here and want to leave... I want to try to improve my country

[UWISSH!]

if aussie companies wernt soo money hungry then there wouldnt b such a problem with people buying goods from overseas.

i just recently bought nismo indicators for $58 delivered from japn i think they were bout $42 without delivery. the exact same product bought in australia was $100+ postage ( cheapest i could find). the place in japan is still making money on the product.

i was also able to buy a bonnet from overseas and have it shipped here for $300 less then anywhere i could get it in australia

i also remember doing work experience at auto1 when in year 12. had to go throught the list of newly arrived stock n add it into the computers. it showed what they got it for and how much they sold for, 200% mark up

[Iron Chef]

Excuse me while I play the worlds smallest violin.

That got a solid ROFL out of me!

Those of you bleating about how 'tough' we do it in Australia need to spend more time overseas.

[Cowboy1600]

If by recreation you mean football and cricket than yes...anything else....mmm nope

Infrastucture....ever driven in Sydney or Canberra? Public parks? nah I dont feel like getting stabbed and/or end up with a syringe in my foot

public transport? nope...ever tried to catch a bus in canberra or the Goldcoast?

Education? you mean all those teachers with a 12 month tafe course to be an english teacher?

Public heathcare...yeah sure its better than a lot....if you can get a bed

So sure we might be better off than North Korea or Sudan but I can think of a number of countries I would rather live in and not just for financial reasons, but general attitutes of Joe Public is where imo we really fall over

Take the US for example, 99.99% of people in the work force will bend over backwards to help a customer.....compare that to here where its maybe 1%

Sorry, but you are so far from reality.

Recreation: We have State and National Parks open to walking, riding, horses, shooters, 4WDers, rock climbing, abseiling, bird watching, camping, swimming etc. We are surround by beaches guarded by lifeguards where you can swim, surf, fish and so on. We play just about every sport on earth and there are local organisations running these, ie. AFL, cricket, rugby, netball, la crosse, soccer, darts, basketball, hockey, baseball, cycling, gymnastics, running etc. There's a BMX track or Skate Park no more than a suburb or two away from the vast majority of the population. We have required minimum open spaces in our communities where people can kick a footy, have a picnic and generally run around outside. There are walking/cycling tracks everywhere. Model aeroplane clubs scattered around the place, go kart tracks and drag strips, swimming holes and tennis courts. Seriously, if the best you can come up with is footy and cricket, then you're not trying very hard.

Australian hospital admitted over 9,000,000 people last year and provided nearly 20,000,000 outpatient services. In a population of 22,000,000 that's a fair effort. Of course some people won't experience perfect service, but for every one of them there's probably 100,000 who did. I've been to hospital a few times in my life and once was I left waiting for a long period when I shouldn't have been. Did I complain? No, cause shit happens sometimes. All the other times I've been admitted and treated very quickly with a high standard of care and then sent home with a pocketful of things to help me get better. Few other countries have that kind of experience.

You know most teachers have three years of education to became a teacher or they have years of experience in a particular field which is recognised and therefore allows them to fast track to becoming a specialised teacher, right? We have some of the lowest teacher to student ratios in the world and some of the best educational outcomes in the world.

As for the US, they bend over backwards to serve you as their livelihood relies on it. They get $4 an hour + tips. f**k that. I'd rather put up with half assed service than insist people get paid a wage below the poverty line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLjyo51qmrI

EDIT: Don't ya just love facts?

Edited September 11, 2012 by Cowboy1600

[zebra]

Thats all well and good and I was being a smart ass I'll admit

But you ride bikes, what about all the do gooders that a quite happy to let people with .308 rifles go blasting though a forest in teir Noisy smokey 4wd running over trees and and thing else that gets in their way, but I cant take my bike up there. (over exaggeration there but you get the point)

Drag strips? NSW has 1....just 1

They closed Canberra's 1/8 mile years ago cause it was a bit noisy....even though its next door to the airport and RMC's Range.

Our Hillclimb track and MX track is subject to so many stringent noise limits it is rediculous

It is more Joe public I dislike, the average person seems quite happy to have 50,000 screaming people in a grandstand, but cant stand the thought of having a few car/bikes go round round a track, or have an aeroplane fly over

So call me a disgruntled (former) trail rider

[Iron Chef]

Still only seeing first world problems...

Edited September 12, 2012 by Iron Chef

[zebra]

Still only seeing first world problems...

But thats all I have lol

[Iron Chef]

Hahaha I hear ya on that one don't worry I'm the same!

Edited September 12, 2012 by Iron Chef

[badben]

I dont agree, we may have only 10gst and a staggered income tax system but the gov doesnt tell you about all there other taxes,levies and fees.

The gst was meant to abolish a lot of these other taxes but its didn't happen, we get double taxed on heaps of things with heaps of unknown levies and fees.

If you added all our taxes levies and fees, we get stung hard and we dont reap any of the crazy benefits of countrys that have high taxes.

France, they have super high tax, but you dont pay anything for medical , you changed job you get a week paid by the gov to help with the move. You have a baby you get a nanny 4 times a week to do the house work the crazy list goes on and on.

Moving the threshold from 1000 to 30 is just another way to get more taxes, more money. As most of us are buy overseas with the dollar how it is at the moment and in doing so the gov doesnt get any tax from us.

And if you think they will remove other taxes and levies, your kidding yourself, They might remove a own tax or levy but they'll slip in another on the sly.

[mad082]

Every country gets double taxed on stuff. Our tax rate is relatively low overall. Our prices of goods are low when put into perspective. The reason why or prices are higher compared to other countries is because our minimum wage is so much higher. We will never be able to truly compete with other countries unless the whole Australian population takes a pay cut, but that won't get us anywhere as it would still require the same amount of hours worked to pay for stuff.

The high wages in Australia are the only reason why stuff from overseas is cheap compared to local prices. But that is also the reason why companies are either moving overseas or sourcing labour from overseas. Australian workers are pricing themselves out if the market. But when the same workers buy products from overseas, they are reducing profits of local business and taxes paid, which will eventually lead to a rise in unemployment, but the government will have less money to pay unemployment benefits. So it's only fair that the government get a share of the money it's missing out on.

Also, plenty of the people who complain about this sort of thing will also be ones who complain about companies closing or moving operations overseas, yet they are part of the cause.