Government rip-off

[Peter Ward]

Something you might wan to consider when importing gear from outside Oz....

I was blissfully unaware of this change to Australian Customs fees until just recently: "As of 1st January 2016, the formal Declaration fee for shipments valued over AUD $10,000 imposed by the Australian Customs Service will be AUD $185.00 "

It's now also $83 for shipments over $1000. One wonders what will happen when the $1000 threshold is abolished in 2017.

Yet another "Australia tax" :mad2:

[casstony]

They'll rake in revenue one way or another. If they don't increase import fees they'll increase traffic fines or alcohol tax or something else. It's all small fish compared to the housing loan/debt slave scam they've helped the banks perpetrate on the country.

[FlashDrive]

I'm so thankful we don't have a Mortgage .....it must be real hard on some.

Col...

[multiweb]

What I'm not looking forward to is the new law just passed allowing banks to charge what they want at ATM withdrawals and other various fund transactions.

[el_draco]

Wonder what the deal is if you bring something back with you.?

[Kunama]

I guess it is a form of 'User Pays' and as such is fair enough. Customs have to find some ways of recouping the enormous costs of manning the various inspections points around Australia.....

When you bring in shipments you create work for Customs in trying to cut the flow of illicit imports, they need to pay for their X-ray machines, postal inspection etc..... Why shouldn't the importer contribute to the cost?:question:

[AndrewJ]

Gday Matt

If that were true, then it should be a function of the work involved, not a flat value. It would be interesting to see how much the containers of "cheap stuff" really became if it was all inspected ( properly ).

Andrew

[Kunama]

I fear this is going to be another one of "those " threads which perhaps ought to be in the the General Chat area above.....

I think most importers are going to pass these costs onto the end user anyway so it really is user pays......
So often we hear complaints about Australians losing their employment due to cheap imports yet it is often the same people who complain about anything that makes an import more expensive..... Go Figure

[skysurfer]

That is right indeed.

But such import duties are not only in AU. Here in the EU it is the same. Everything imported above EUR 700 will be charged with import duties and sales tax (18..21% dependant on member state) and between EUR 45 and 700 it is sales tax only and below EUR 45 it is free.
Source: the Dutch tax and customs department, member state of the EU:

http://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontenten/belastingdienst/individuals/abroad_and_customs/receiving_goods_from_abroad/

But the problem with astro equipment is (which also applies to the EU) that most is imported from the US or China. There are no Australian and only a few EU astro equipment manufacturers, so we have to deal with that.

[DavidTrap]

User pays.

Don't want to pay = don't use the service...

DT

[AndrewJ]

Gday Matt

So employ cheaper inspectors on 457 visas, like everyone else does??

I did a bit more digging on this
AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS NOTICE No. 2003/27
AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS NOTICE NO. 2004/33

Just to name a few
In these cases, any containers etc taken aside for "checking"
do accrue costs associated with the checking,
so just increase these fees if you truly believe in "user pays".

I also note that only about 5% of containers are listed as being checked anyway, so ( IMHO ) charging a new flat tax on all transactions based on value, irrespective of whether it is checked or not is just another creeping tax as listed by the OP. ( That will get passed on )

Andrew

[Shano592]

For us professional importers, there types of fees are nothing new. I certainly don't begrudge Customs from having to generate their wages, and I honestly would like to see them be able to do more. If they could actually scan every container, that would be great.

The wharf fees in this country are the killer, not the pittance that Customs asks. Patricks and their cronies rake in money for just looking at a container. Even to book a slot to have your container collected, costs $50.

[pgc hunter]

Well the revenue scameras are spreading like a a malignant cancer everywhere you look, fines are increased every single year, new "offenses" are continually introduced and the tax on beer and spirits has been increasing twice a year since the '70's.

[Shano592]

I often wonder who it is that has been offended. Not the walloper writing the ticket, that's for certain, or he wouldn't be whistling...

[AndrewJ]

Just be grateful you dont live in some Scandinavian places
where the fines are based on your income as well.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/03/finland-home-of-the-103000-speeding-ticket/387484/

Actually, it might work here.
No need to tax super etc, just up their traffic fines :-)
Andrew