Thread: July the 1st 2018 GST On Low Value Imported Goods

It doesn't stop anyone buying from outside the country at all. It certainly adds an impost to any purchase that hasn't traditionally been there in the past and the only reason Gerry Harvey wanted it was so he could be wealthier than he already is. He had no other motive in forcing this through and I doubt he will see much of my money in the future. I have just spent $5000 buying stuff and he missed out entirely so up yours Gerry!

Do you guys really think that Gerry was a lone wolf in this? Gerry may have been the figurehead spokesperson but I bet he was backed and supported by the whole retail sector.

Is there just as much hate for all the other retailers or is he getting special attention? After all, any win for him is just as much a win for all of the retail industry including all the mum and dad businesses. The Good Guys, Retravision etc etc are all similar structures to Gerry so you should share the hate around.

I am am not a Gerry lover and rarely shop there as I find his competitors are usually better priced but I have nothing against the guy.

A while ago I bought some lounge furniture from Harvey Norman, NEVER AGAIN. I was quoted2- 3 weeks for delivery and after "the computer stock levels being wrong" "the container is arriving in another 4 weeks" "they were supposed to be in the container but are not" "can you wait for another 4 weeks for the next container" and the lies just went on and on for several months. Eventually we agreed to take floor stock of similar items but not the 3 seater we wanted. Then when an arm on the chair wore through, I went to HN again and they assured me there were spare arm pads available and after another three months of lies and deception from them, I gave up and went to a Lazy Boy outlet and 2 weeks later had the replacement arm. With Australia's small population you would think return business would be important to HN, but it is not. I know many people with similar horror stories and they also will not be repeat clients. Lies and deception do not generate the necessary warm and fuzzy feeling that would make you return.

Originally Posted by Beardy

Do you guys really think that Gerry was a lone wolf in this? No.
Gerry may have been the figurehead spokesperson but I bet he was backed and supported by the whole retail sector. Yes, and there were other high profile people in there, but he was by far the most visible.

Is there just as much hate for all the other retailers or is he getting special attention? He pretty much gets special attention..

It's pretty simple for me - he has made a huge fortune out of Aussies, and he still whinges and moans and wants more. As far as I'm concerned to still be dissatisfied and moaning with all his riches is un-Australian.

As I understand it from another post, he doesn't even live here now - Singapore is it? Geez, I wonder if that's because they have better tax schemes than here? And if that's the case, and I stress "if", then it's just the ultimate in hypocrisy.

It's time he went and played with his horses.

What get's my goat more than anything about that joker is that even after he's made all that money he then wants to make life difficult for the poor bastards who want or need to save money, or have access to stuff that can't be procured within Oz. That's just pure bastardry, and so that he can profit from it. Make no mistake - for him this is not about the Govt missing GST.

Why would he need to lobby and battle the Govt so hard for so long if that was the case, hmmm?

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

It's pretty simple for me - he has made a huge fortune out of Aussies, and he still whinges and moans and wants more. As far as I'm concerned to still be dissatisfied and moaning with all his riches is un-Australian.

As I understand it from another post, he doesn't even live here now - Singapore is it? Geez, I wonder if that's because they have better tax schemes than here? And if that's the case, and I stress "if", then it's just the ultimate in hypocrisy.

It's time he went and played with his horses.

So how is he any different from others who have made an even bigger fortune out of Aussies? And don’t you think they still campaign and lobby to keep their businesses viable? I am sure anyone here in the same situation would do the same....only a fool wouldn’t.

Where he lives it not really relevant to his taxation. The business would be structured with companies and trusts and he would be receiving a salary
Singapore is more expensive than Australia to live by the way, last time I was there I was paying $18 for a beer $15 at happy hour

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

.As I understand it from another post, he doesn't even live here now - Singapore is it? Geez, I wonder if that's because they have better tax schemes than here?.

-- The sliding rate maxes at 22% above S$320,000
-- There is no capital gain or inheritance tax
-- Individuals are taxed only on the income earned in Singapore

Does he really live there though? For what point? Once you are rich you pay no real tax anyway as one structures their holdings to be ex-dividend income.

This is why the liberals were so determined to shove the tax package through. It's only wage slaves that are raped by income tax.

Originally Posted by Beardy

So how is he any different from others who have made an even bigger fortune out of Aussies?

For the umpteenth time......because of the bloody whinging and moaning - not just about this issue - whatever it is at the time.

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Does he really live there though?

I don't know - someone else brought it up a while ago (I think within this thread).

From Wikipedia:
"In January 2011 Harvey was embroiled in a widely condemned campaign backed by a number of bricks and mortar Australian retailers to scrap tax rules that allow Australians to shop on overseas websites without paying GST.^[6] In response to the campaign, the Federal Government asked the Productivity Commission to investigate and report on the retail industry. Harvey subsequently said the report is a waste of time and money, and did not read it."

Interesting to read his comments on giving charity to the homeless a little further down.

Originally Posted by Beardy

So how is he any different from others who have made an even bigger fortune out of Aussies? And don’t you think they still campaign and lobby to keep their businesses viable? I am sure anyone here in the same situation would do the same....only a fool wouldn’t.

Where he lives it not really relevant to his taxation. The business would be structured with companies and trusts and he would be receiving a salary
Singapore is more expensive than Australia to live by the way, last time I was there I was paying $18 for a beer $15 at happy hour

Drinkng in Raffles and nightspots you will get that. Drink in the hawker stalls and you will be paying similarly to bottle shop prices here. Those sort of numbers are fairly common in Perth. You don't have to pay that though. The food in Singapore in much cheaper than here as well. $5.00 feeds you can't jump over are common. You can pay a lot more, if you want.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

For the umpteenth time......because of the bloody whinging and moaning - not just about this issue - whatever it is at the time.

Ok then so he is a whinger, a whinger who has created thousands of jobs for Aussies and created many small businesses with the franchises. You have to give him that.

Originally Posted by Beardy

Ok then so he is a whinger, a whinger who has created thousands of jobs for Aussies and created many small businesses with the franchises. You have to give him that.

I'm not sure franchises are exactly much to crow about - they're probably not all bad but they mostly sound like a form of retail slavery to me.

Originally Posted by BobL

I'm not sure franchises are exactly much to crow about - they're probably not all bad but they mostly sound like a form of retail slavery to me.

Franchises are not for everyone, but they are particularly ideal if you are not business or entrepreneurilly minded and need to be schooled and guided.
Sure there are horror stories you hear about but there are many more success stories of people carving a good living out of a franchise.
There are also plenty of failed business that were not franchises so that is not the common denominator