PMA maintains the rage for GST rights

PMA is not letting up on its campaign against the current Federal Government policy that allows overseas traders to sell goods valued at under $1000 to Australian buyers free of GST.

PMA director Peter Rose has urged everyone in the photo industry to sign a petition in protest against the current policy that “discriminates” against local businesses that are required to collect GST on behalf of the government.

The petition campaign was launched at the recent PMA Digital Life Expo but the response from conference attendees was only “fair”, according to Rose, who said there were “too many distractions” to attract the full attention of conference attendees.

Any hopes of an early reduction in the $1000 GST-free exemption on private imports of photographic equipment were dashed when the Federal Government last month ruled that any change to the current regulations would not be “administratively feasible .“

Rose said the industry was “appalled” at the decision, seemingly influenced by a submission from a body representing large international courier companies.

In its final report, the board of tax review recommended to the Government: “In relation to the importation of services by consumers, the board’s view is that, based on the difficulty associated with seeking non-resident compliance with Australia’s GST and the extensiveness of online retail activity, it does not seem administratively feasible to try to bring non-resident supplies of services into the GST system at this time.”

Rose said the industry’s view was that as “a matter of principle and regardless of cost incurred to the consumer, we demand that the Government immediately moves to correct this inequitable situation.”

FIGHT FOR YOUR GST RIGHTS – sign the PMA petition now and fax to Peter Rose on (02) 9454 2454 or email to pmaaustralia@pmai.org.

Download the PMA GST petition