When are they going to realize that their GST is a bit too complicated?

http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/0003/05/A55736-2000Mar5.shtml

And a try at a hot link

Mousie

-- Mousie (mousie@mymousehole.moc), March 05, 2000

Answers

Mousie

We have a long history with GST which I won't go into here. Lately, however, I have discovered that some busineses decided to take an extra "scoop" when they programmed their computers to calculate the amount of GST to add to each purchase. Instead of charging 7%, some companies have been charging as much as 7.4%, and you can bet they're not giving that "tad extra" to the gov.

Lesson learned: if any sort of sales tax is shown separately on your receipt/invoice at point-of-purchase, do your own tax calculations to ensure you're not paying more than you really should be.

-- firefly (forest@calm.dot), March 05, 2000.

Mousie,
This article is about the building industry's slowness of getting their brain around the Goods and Services Tax. As my brothers build ever more houses in the rush to beat the June 30 deadline before the GST comes into effect they allow no time to study the implication and management of the tax. The accountants fare little better due to constant changes announced almost daily.

It has become so complex that many persons in the tourism industry, where I operate, are planning to toss in the towel. Personally I am ignoring the whole friggin' lot...planning my adjustments over a few years. Why make a fuss when the entire country is in a false boom due to the pre-GST rush to get things done. The real issue I see is how to survive the pending depessed times that come after the Olympics are finished. Both GST & the Olympics have created a heated show and every action has an opposite one.

Regards from OZ

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), March 05, 2000.