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  #21  
Old 23-03-2018, 10:29 AM
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From what I gather this revenue is to be used to help pay for all of the border security not just mail screening, mail screening is the low cost part.
Ebay etc mail order is booming and a cash cow for the govt to milk. 40 million small parcels a year is a very tempting tax source.
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  #22  
Old 23-03-2018, 11:51 AM
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A lot of the stuff people order is just cheap bits and pieces from China costing one or two dollars delivered. So these attract a $7 fee too?

Bloody scandalous imo!
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  #23  
Old 23-03-2018, 11:57 AM
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The UK has had such a farcical charge for years...and their equivalent of GST (VAT) at 20% is charged on all packages valued above £18, about $30.

It certainly discourages overseas shopping, as not only does it add cost but it delays arrival of items from outside the EU (for now!).

The difference is that the market economy there is substantially larger and buying locally is often preferable.

Here in Australia...it’s just a grab for cash, as what could possibly make Oz Post any slower
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  #24  
Old 23-03-2018, 11:57 AM
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It's the Gerry Harvey cry all over again. Stop the imports so that the local dealers can charge what they wish.
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  #25  
Old 23-03-2018, 01:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glend View Post
I wonder what affect Donald Trump's just announced 25% tariff on Chinese tech related (maybe including optics) products will have on all the astro gear: scopes, mounts, etc now manufactured in China. This may have more impact, certainly in the US market, in the longer run than a per box levy. If lower production volumes in China drive up unit prices, our costs could rise, although this will take years to play out.
Trump is an idiot, the Chinese will still be getting their asking price for the goods supplied. The US consumer will be paying the 25% tariff.

Why, because for decades the USA owes trillions of $$$ and can't pay it back. In fact every 3 months they have to beg Congress so they can borrow some more.

So this Trump strategy is a smokescreen, making it look tough on China, when in fact it is an effort to get the US consumer to help pay off the USA debt.
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  #26  
Old 23-03-2018, 01:14 PM
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Trump is an idiot, the Chinese will still be getting their asking price for the goods supplied. The US consumer will be paying the 25% tariff.

Why, because for decades the USA owes trillions of $$$ and can't pay it back. In fact every 3 months they have to beg Congress so they can borrow some more.

So this Trump strategy is a smokescreen, making it look tough on China, when in fact it is an effort to get the US consumer to help pay off the USA debt.
Yep. $13 TRILLION USD and counting owed to China - a COMMUNIST nation...the very anti-ideal post-WW2 premise the USA built itself on. It's laughable.

The USA and Europe still believe sanctions and embargoes work. They've done it to Russia, North Korea and now China (more). Fact is, they DON'T work. Russian trade deals with China have sky rocketed and will continue so, as Russia will supply China with all the natural gas and other resources it needs (seeing idiotic Europe has cut themselves off from that and now - bada bing - the USA will need to supply Europe ). Not to mention the space exploration plans together.

The USA is SO antiquated and backward thinking. As one dinosaur leaves the NSA/CIA/Congress/Treasury, he trains his replacement with the doctrine and ideology of 50 years ago. They cannot learn and adapt, and it seems they never will while they think they dominate the globe. Pure arrogance intertwined with a xenophobic mindset.
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  #27  
Old 23-03-2018, 01:53 PM
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And yet that report on all the tax avoidance by big companies, and I cant even remember the name of said report, goes in the too hard basket I guess...but then no one probably even noticed it as there were more important issues at the time like dual citizenship of polies...which took our focus off the report...you can always find something important hidden when they rant about the trivial etc. I recall one coal company with a 30 billion turnover paid only 50 mill tax I wonder if that has been looked at...
alex
alex
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  #28  
Old 23-03-2018, 02:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doppler View Post
From what I gather this revenue is to be used to help pay for all of the border security not just mail screening, mail screening is the low cost part.
Ebay etc mail order is booming and a cash cow for the govt to milk. 40 million small parcels a year is a very tempting tax source.
Indeed just another tax. We already have income tax, GST, stamp duty, luxury car tax (for the car industry that doesn't exist) , excise, customs entry fee and security fees....plus our postage costs are amongst the highest in the world.

What to leave? Our passports are also the most expensive.

We are mugs. If the user pays for all levels of government service you have to wonder what exactly they do with our income tax which was supposed to cover all of the above.

P.S.
I forgot...despite billion dollar revenue, Google paid less tax that yours truly last year....and the government wants to give them a tax cut
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  #29  
Old 23-03-2018, 02:08 PM
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Gday Alex
Quote:
one coal company with a 30 billion turnover paid only 50 mill tax I wonder if that has been looked at...
Of course it has, and its too hard to get.
Just remember its easier to take 5$ from 100 million people on small transactions, vs 100million from 5 companies, who will fight tooth and nail to prevent it.
This is part of why tap and go etc makes banks/govts so much money.
Every transaction is quick/convenient so you dont mind/notice the small fees taken EVERY TIME.
Andrew
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  #30  
Old 23-03-2018, 02:56 PM
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Why not a turnover tax?
I think Pauline had it in her platform and I often wonder if that was the real concern with her and not her racism...
alex
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  #31  
Old 23-03-2018, 03:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Ward View Post
Indeed just another tax. We already have income tax, GST, stamp duty, luxury car tax (for the car industry that doesn't exist) , excise, customs entry fee and security fees....plus our postage costs are amongst the highest in the world.

What to leave? Our passports are also the most expensive.

We are mugs. If the user pays for all levels of government service you have to wonder what exactly they do with our income tax which was supposed to cover all of the above.

P.S.
I forgot...despite billion dollar revenue, Google paid less tax that yours truly last year....and the government wants to give them a tax cut
Precisely. I also have NEVER felt as oppressed as when I re-enter Australia from overseas with the VERY prominent government signs, warnings, etc. Oh, and the "Informing our choices" BS.

But yet to some this planned "Security" tax is something that needs to be paid? How and why, considering that we already pay through the neck at the Post Office? It is something that our taxes should already pay for. $7 per item imported is outrageous and I doubt a single Australian will stand for it. What next, they'll charge us to have presents from overseas friends and relatives sent to us, as I am SURE they will claim now that as a loophole.

It won't work, and it can't, and it should not even be thought about in the first place. Tax Gerry Harvey more, chase the big dollar businesses, not regular Joe Blow wanting to bring in some cheap stuff for the kids.

It's not only idiotic, it's insulting. So much for the free and open market democracy we live in - the one becoming more and more restrictive and encumbered every day.

From informing our choices to limiting our choices.
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  #32  
Old 23-03-2018, 04:33 PM
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Maybe part of it is due to this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union
I remember reading a few years back that when mail flow between countries was relatively equal, this system worked.
Now that we buy by email and all "physical" deliveries come from overseas, the system at our end just bleeds.
ie ask yourself how you can get "free" delivery on ridiculously lowly priced items from China?????
someone has to pay somewhere, so i guess they are making it a bit more transparent.

Andrew
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  #33  
Old 23-03-2018, 05:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewJ View Post
Maybe part of it is due to this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union
I remember reading a few years back that when mail flow between countries was relatively equal, this system worked.
Now that we buy by email and all "physical" deliveries come from overseas, the system at our end just bleeds.
ie ask yourself how you can get "free" delivery on ridiculously lowly priced items from China?????
someone has to pay somewhere, so i guess they are making it a bit more transparent.

Andrew
And then on the other side you get ridiculously high "flat rate" postage from European merchants. I think TS Optics has a flat rate of 36 euro (about $50 au) even for the smallest item. The sad part here is that even with the high postage costs many things are still much cheaper than the Au suppliers.
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  #34  
Old 23-03-2018, 06:22 PM
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Gday Rick
Dont disagree, but i suspect if dedicated couriers are used, then prices get charged accordingly. If they send small items and rely on the international mail agreements to get cheap delivery in the receiving country, then the costs get put on Aus Post, and they no longer will accept it.
Nothing is "free"
Andrew
ps it would be nice if overseas doctors, lawyers, dentists, accountants could also come here unrestricted and undercut the "protected" locals.
Sure it would be caveat emptor, but it would certainly be an interesting exercise in true global competion.
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  #35  
Old 24-03-2018, 01:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewJ View Post
Maybe part of it is due to this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union
I remember reading a few years back that when mail flow between countries was relatively equal, this system worked.
Now that we buy by email and all "physical" deliveries come from overseas, the system at our end just bleeds.
ie ask yourself how you can get "free" delivery on ridiculously lowly priced items from China?????
someone has to pay somewhere, so i guess they are making it a bit more transparent.

Andrew
I read somewhere that the Chinese government subsidises their businesses specifically so that they can sell so cheaply to the world without postage costs hindering them. So they get a huge benefit whilst clogging up Aus post who I don't think get a penny for carting all the crap round!
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  #36  
Old 24-03-2018, 02:18 PM
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Indeed, it’s interesting what counts for common good these days...
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  #37  
Old 24-03-2018, 03:57 PM
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Originally Posted by PCH View Post
I read somewhere that the Chinese government subsidises their businesses specifically so that they can sell so cheaply to the world without postage costs hindering them. So they get a huge benefit whilst clogging up Aus post who I don't think get a penny for carting all the crap round!
Hi Paul,

It's called dumping and China is guilty off it.

And its strategic purpose goes way beyond benefiting Chinese companies.

It is designed to ensure that countries like Australia don't ever think of
manufacturing anything for themselves ever again.

Decades ago, I took part in a Defence industry study. The question was, in
times of adversity, such as if Australia was subjected to a naval blockade,
could the nation possibly manufacture the things it would strategically
need?

During times of war, a country repurposes equipment and factories to produce
the types of things it needs to defend itself.

Everyone loves cheap stuff. But when you add up the cost of manufacturing
many of the low-priced items that one can buy out of China these days
by mail order, it just doesn't add up.

Plus when you add the low-cost or free postage, the economics is such
that the item was delivered here below the manufacturer's cost.

Those who are not across the real cost of materials, manufacturing
and shipping might be duped it is all part of the miracle of modern
China, of low wages and economies of scale.

It is not.

I have some packages from China here delivered by an Australia
Post postman on a motorbike but franked with zero Yuan postage
paid stickers.

In order to do that requires the cooperation of the Chinese government itself.

It's China's way of ensuring that a country like Australia, as a nation state,
never manufactures anything again. It is designed to ensure that we have
no plastic injection moulding capability, no factories that can fabricate parts
in metal, and so on, and that we fall behind in the advances in materials
and manufacturing processes.

It's the Opium War all over and we have become addicted to all this
impossibly cheap stuff.

Heaven forbid if we ever have to pay the real price for it.

Last edited by gary; 24-03-2018 at 04:22 PM.
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