[NeilW]

Gerry Harvey and his mates have been carping on about adding GST to overseas purchases as a way of reducing the competition of internet shopping.

Buying overseas on the net has nothing to do with GST and everything to do with price and availability. Things are just cheaper from overseas, even after exchange rates and postage come into play. And I could say with some degree of certainty that almost none of the books I have purchased from Amazon in the last couple of years have seen shelf space in Australian bookstores.

I recently attempted to purchase a classical CD set from an "Australian" website for $56.00. Six weeks later the item was still showing as pending on my account record. They said that the item was no longer available, so I cancelled the order. I then went on to the Amazon - UK site, ordered it, and I would expect to see it on my desk in the next ten days, at a total cost of.......$AUD 33.00!!

Wake up retailers.