Can someone explain the new tax for me?

[that_guy (Tony)]

Hi guys, I've been looking at getting a Sharpstar 60ED from aliexpress but will only have the funds for it at the beginning of July which to my knowledge is when the new tax comes in. I'm not too finance savvy when it comes to import tax and everything, do I need to pay the 10% tax or is that included in the purchase price or will i be given a notice from customs to pay the tax on delivery. I am so confused!

Any help would be appreciated, Thanks
Tony

[Kunama]

At this stage it is anyone's guess, you might be lucky and have it turn up at home unhindered. I doubt that Customs are in a position to vet every single parcel at this early stage of the Government's money grab....

[AndyG (Andy)]

I've ordered a StarGPS NX-02 from Canada recently. I'm curious if they "hit it at the gate" (sometime next week), "hit it at purchase time" (pre-GST, therefore nothing), or let it go.

The worst possible outcome, is they hold everything until they can "get through it", irrespective of staff numbers assigned to the deed.

I work in a Fed Gov mob, and nothing (sadly) is too ridiculous to be impossible. Please, someone tell me I'm tinfoil hatted/wrong!

[sil (Steve)]

It should effect you if you order now, but it depends I think more on the knowledge or confusion of the carrier it lands with rather than customs. You shoulndt need to pay anything now, especially to the store (I assume you mean overseas online store). When it lands in the country that is likely to be the date they'll take to charge the tax ("they" being the local carrier who takes charge from the incoming freight point). Don't assume the government will be kind and say you ordered it before this date so we'll let you off, our gov doesnt ever do that, ever. Tyically when I ve been hit its been withe a fedex delivery and they contacted me saying my package is being held until payment of $X for Y reason. So I assume the same , it'll get held and you'll get a mobile call to pay the tax. get ready for new scams to make the rounds and delivery systems to become clogged with held items or most likely they get returned to sender if you can't be reached by phone immediately. (or the person can't be bothered trying to contact you just like delivery drivers often just bring a card to your door and dont try knocking to see if your home. Riots will hopefully ensue.

[AndyG (Andy)]

Originally Posted by sil

Riots will hopefully ensue.

I'm not religious, but I'd learn to pray, if for that alone.

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

A simple explanation:

Our government screws us, the people, so the filthy rich local business owners can benefit by price raping Australians. Dymocks is a good one at doing this. #nameandshame

[Nikolas (Nik)]

So no one so far has explained it

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

Originally Posted by Nikolas

So no one so far has explained it

I believe my post accurately explains the new tax.

[casstony]

Apparently you can still buy from overseas shop websites which sell less than $75000 worth annually to Oz and there's no gst (under $1000) but a platform like Aliexpress will have to deal with the tax.

I'm sure it'll be a schmozzle in the beginning.

[troypiggo (Troy)]

The way I read it is that the international stores will need to be charging it, so should be included in the price you're quoted online. Best to check at time of purchase maybe?

https://www.finder.com.au/australian...ional-shopping

[that_guy (Tony)]

Oh boy, I just want a scope for a reasonable price! Is that so much to ask?

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

Originally Posted by casstony

Apparently you can still buy from overseas shop websites which sell less than $75000 worth annually to Oz and there's no gst (under $1000) but a platform like Aliexpress will have to deal with the tax.

I'm sure it'll be a schmozzle in the beginning.

Aliexpress doesn't need to do anything. The Australian government has ZERO legal control over them as an entity. ZERO. NADA. NIL. ZILCH. NULL. Of course, Australian customs will then illegally intercept any said packages and withhold them illegally from their rightful owners, based on a new tax law that was NOT voted on by the majority of this country's voting age population.

If this corrupt government was so sure that it had the support of the people, then why the hell didn't it throw a referendum on the matter? Oh wait, cos it well and truly knew it had ZERO chance of a referendum for this actually succeeding. Our government does NOT have the best interests of the average Australian consumer at heart with this new "law". It's a greedy money grab to protect dinosaur greedy local distributors and retailers who continue to generally speaking offer crappy support, and price rape Australians for the effort.

[casstony]

Aliexpress might do the same as Amazon and divert traffic to it's Australian website.
It's not worth getting too worried about though - there are much more important issues to be angry about.

[skysurfer]

Originally Posted by dpastern

Aliexpress doesn't need to do anything. The Australian government has ZERO legal control over them as an entity. ZERO. NADA. NIL. ZILCH. NULL. Of course, Australian customs will then illegally intercept any said packages and withhold them illegally from their rightful owners, based on a new tax law that was NOT voted on by the majority of this country's voting age population.

If this corrupt government was so sure that it had the support of the people, then why the hell didn't it throw a referendum on the matter? Oh wait, cos it well and truly knew it had ZERO chance of a referendum for this actually succeeding. Our government does NOT have the best interests of the average Australian consumer at heart with this new "law". It's a greedy money grab to protect dinosaur greedy local distributors and retailers who continue to generally speaking offer crappy support, and price rape Australians for the effort.

Not only in Australia, but here in the EU (or most other countries) the same. The big corporations are running our country. That is why I am worried about 2070 and opened a topic on it.
Back to topic: Amazon, Aliexpress or any other online shop can charge taxes, but no foreign government has control on this, the Australian customs can only charge you import tax at arrival.

[RB (Andrew)]

Continually violating the TOS will lead to threads being locked.
One Post deleted.
RB

[Kunama]

To get back to the OP's question:


AliExpress will begin to apply the 10% GST component to any items valued at $1000 or less and purchased through AliExpress from 1 July 2018 onwards. The 10% will apply to the item price and freight charge though some items are sold Free Postage.

In the event that the total is more than $1000 the GST etc will be charged by Australian Customs as previously, including the Customs charges $139 etc.... so in some cases it will be cheaper and more expedient to buy items separately through AliExpress and avoid Customs delays/charges.

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

Originally Posted by dpastern

I believe my post accurately explains the new tax.

Your post is absolute rubbish. Clearly you should move to another country that has no government provided benefits like health, education, roads etc (what have the Romans ever done for us?)
Are you perhaps a member of the Peoples Front of Judea?

[Kunama]

Originally Posted by The Mekon

Your post is absolute rubbish. Clearly you should move to another country that has no government provided benefits like health, education, roads etc (what have the Romans ever done for us?)
Are you perhaps a member of the Peoples Front of Judea?

I concur John

The Customs are indeed empowered by law to intercept any item and to seize an item if the importer fails or refuses to pay the required legal taxes and duties or fails to complete the correct importation documentation..... in fact it is their duty to do so.

The onus of proof is on the importer.

Whilst the Australian Government has no legal right to force another country's entity to collect the taxes, items imported without the taxes having been paid can be legally seized by the Australian Customs until such time that the taxes and other relevant charges are paid.

In the case of AliExpress it is cheaper for the importer to have those taxes collected by AliExpress than by Customs.

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Originally Posted by Kunama

To get back to the OP's question:


AliExpress will begin to apply the 10% GST component to any items valued at $1000 or less and purchased through AliExpress from 1 July 2018 onwards. The 10% will apply to the item price and freight charge though some items are sold Free Postage.

In the event that the total is more than $1000 the GST etc will be charged by Australian Customs as previously, including the Customs charges $139 etc.... so in some cases it will be cheaper and more expedient to buy items separately through AliExpress and avoid Customs delays/charges.

THANK YOU
Thats the clearest and best reply that actually is helpful!

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Separate question
What happens if a company doesn't have $75000 worth of sales to Australia?
Companies like first light optics comes to mind