GOODS AND SERVICES TAX (GST) – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Hockey, PM split over tampon tax

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 27-May-15

Some Coalition MPs have criticised a push by Treasurer Joe Hockey to exempt women’s sanitation products from the GST. Economists have also questioned the proposal, with Saul Eslake of Bank of America Merrill Lynch arguing that the GST should be broadened to include male hygiene products such as condoms rather than exempting tampons. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Kate Carnell has expressed a similar view, saying exempting more items from the GST will add to the compliance burden for businesses.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Liberal push to expand GST

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Original article by Joanna Heath
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 7-Jan-15

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has ruled out any adjustments to the current goods and services tax (GST) regime before the next federal election. However he is encouraging debate on the issue, and Liberal Party parliamentarians Ian Macdonald, Dean Smith and Dan Tehan have called for an expansion of the GST’s base while maintaining its rate of 10%. Macdonald argues the latter was a promise by former prime minister John Howard when he rolled out the GST, but the exclusions for fresh food or education may be revoked

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Coalition eyes cross-party deal on taxing low-cost imports

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 3 : 5-Jan-15

The Australian Government’s tax white paper will push the case for the goods and services tax threshold for imported goods to be lowered. Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg notes that in recent years there has been a sharp increase in the volume of goods bought online from overseas that are priced below the tax threshold of $A1,000. Tax reform will need the support of the states, but Western Australia in particular is proving to be recalcitrant on the issue

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), AUSTRALIA. COMMONWEALTH GRANTS COMMISSION, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

PwC says GST review inevitable

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Original article by Katie Walsh
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 4-Nov-14

PricewaterhouseCoopers believes that Australia’s goods and services tax (GST) regime must be changed. The accounting firm calculated that raising the GST rate to 12.5 per cent and abolishing health, education and food exemptions would increase tax revenue by $A33.5 billion in 2018-19. Prime Minister Tony Abbott wants a debate on the matter but most of the states oppose it

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, IPSOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Abbott puts GST hike on the table

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Original article by Laura Tingle, Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 27-Oct-14

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says he will oppose any push by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to increase the GST rate. Abbott has indicated that tax reform may be on the agenda for the next federal election, including an increase in the state governments’ indirect tax base. The states currently derive about $A54bn of their annual income from the GST, but some have urged a more equitable distribution of GST revenue

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET