GST on low value imports—2017 Inquiry
The ECA expresses its concern over the impact of the GST Low Value Goods Bill on Australian importers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) and importers of lower-value goods.
According to DFAT, Australia imported $271.4 billion worth of goods and $77.7 billion worth of services in 2015-16. Imports are an important component
of Australia’s economic prosperity. They promote competition and expand the range of goods available to Australian consumers, as well as help Australian
businesses meet their strategic goals and provide goods to customers that may not be available locally.
Importing goods into Australia is not necessarily straight forward, especially for SMEs with limited resources. There are many things an importer needs
to consider, such as rules and regulations, whether any licenses or permits are required, what the customs clearance requirements are, payment terms,
logistics considerations, and more. There are also the initial challenges of understanding how to purchase your goods and set up contracts, as well
as how free trade agreements and tariff barriers apply, that importers need to be aware of before a deal is even negotiated.
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Dee-Ann Prather, Down Under Enterprises International
NSW Women in Global Business Award winner
Member of the ECA
“90% of our business is export based and we are expanding rapidly throughout Asia. As we move into new countries and regions it is important to understand the country, culture and business norms and ECA has helped us do this through their programs. ECA has also helped us improve our shipping and documentation efficiency, especially with the new GHS requirements. Overall, ECA is a wealth of information and knowledge and have always been very helpful when we have specific issues or questions.”
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Nuix is the 2015 Premier's NSW Exporter of the Year. As a technology company that protects, informs and empowers society. Nuix has more than 1,500 customers in over 60 countries, including all major global regulatory agencies, leading security and law enforcement agencies, all tier one advisory and litigation support vendors, and many of the world's leading financial institutions, corporations and government departments.