RE: What level of taxation do you have in your country?

Garry

GST is probably just the Aussie version of VAT, but at a lower rate.

GST is currently levied at 10% on top of the cost of the item or service. GST does not apply to medical, most education costs or fresh food. It was to have applied to everything, but the minority parties in opposition veto’ed the three categories. There has since been discussion to also exempt rent under certain circumstances.

Prior to GST, we had a number of “indirect taxes”, at varying rates, such as luxury tax (27% on cars costing above about $55,000, perfumes, jewellery for example), sales tax, which was levied at between about 5 and 20% according to the class of item, and various other taxes. GST replaced most of them.

To make GST acceptable to the electorate, personal income taxes were reduced by lowering the tax rates which applied at differing income levels. We used to have a top personal income tax rate of 60%! Who the hell wanted to earn anything when you were being taxed at that rate? As I said in my original post, the top rate is now basically 47% plus Medicare (1.5 – 2.5%) Unfortunately, as our income taxes are levied at five different levels, promotion or national wage increases see peoples’ salaries exposed to “bracket creep”, where you go from the 30% marginal rate to the next rate, which I think is 40%. As the GST was introduced over two years ago, bracket creep has seen most taxpayers salaries increased to the point that the salary cuts of 2000 have now been wiped out. Wonderful system, this. (Not!!!)

It isn’t until you see GST amounts on receipts (which are now called tax invoices), that you realise the effect GST has on your everyday purchases. I buy a train ticket cosing $12.00, and of that, about $1.10 is GST. In other words, I pay a tax for the privelage of going to work. That wasn’t the case prior to GST and it makes you think just how much money the government is raking in with GST.

GST is applied thoughout the supply chain, but the consumer only pays the one lot of GST. Suppliers/manufacturers are able to claim rebates/offsets for GST expenditure against operating costs. Ultimately, the consumer still loses, as the GST applies to the final cost, which is of course, the greater of all costs incurred during the manufacturing/supply cycle.

Hope that help understand GST.

What are your tax levels in NZ?

Regards

Wombat

RE: 28 biljion for smoking

This article just goes to show the differences in our currency exchange rates, because the cost was reported in Australia as $51 billion!

I agree with many of the points raised, particularly the parasites who choose to smoke for years, knowing fully what risks they take in doing so, then sue the tobacco companies for manufacturing the filthy things in the first place when they develop cancer. (Not too obvious I’m a non-smoker, is it?)

As for the companies, I could’nt care less if they went belly up overnight and stopped manufacturing fags altogether. The air would be cleaner and so would the streets.

Another point, Rabie, is the cost to the community of illnesses caused by smoking. I don’t know if your National Health Scheme is still as liberal as it once was, but your taxes will still be going, in part, into the NHS, to keep these dumb-bums alive so they can eventually sue! There are many illnesses caused by smoking and not all are fatal. Even those that are fatal take a long time to complete the cycle and you, and your countrymen, pay the taxes to nurse many thousands of people suffering from smoking-induced illnesses.

However, without the revenue raised by tobacco taxes, I would have to pay even more than I do at present. (Hmmm, might make that a separate thread…) In Australia, the level of taxation on tobacco products is quite severe, although I don’t know how much it is.

Regards

Wombat

RE: Sp[ell Checkers ???

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 06-10-02 AT 08:50 PM (GMT)]Shorty

Don’t worry about your English, mate, it’s a lot better than my Dutch, which is non-existent. (I think your’e a resident of the Netherlands, if not, hope I haven’t offended.)

And not all Aussies speak English well, either. You should hear the versions I hear at the local shopping centre – mostly “f… this” and “f… that”..Wonder what they’d do if that word didn’t exist. If you applied a spell checker to their language, it would blow a poofle valve from overwork!!!

Regards

Wombat

RE: The Ultimate Corporate Warbird !

Hi guys,

Of course, you’re correct. I had only seen the model kit briefly in the hobby store, and that is obviously what the colour photo is of. I had a quick squiz at the kit in the box and noted the shape. Didn’t honestly take much notice of the original aircraft, I was just interested in the conversion.

Off I go to recognition school again!

Regards

Wombat

RE: Christmas is coming

Frank

I can sympathise with those of you who have to put up with the snow and cold as a normal part of your lives.

Out here, our snow only appears in our mountain areas of a couple of states, and is valued for its sport and recreation uses. The interesting thing about our snowfields is that they actually cover a larger area than Switzerland.

I just haven’t been there when it’s snowing…..

Regards

Wombat

RE: Christmas is coming

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 06-10-02 AT 08:29 AM (GMT)]I probably shouldn’t admit to this, but being an Aussie, living near on the coast, Christmas means laying on a beach with a gently ocean breeze keeping temperatures around 25 degrees celsius (about 75 F), then returning home to sit on the porch and look out over the district, sinking a few cold beers and chewing the fat with the other half or family. If it’s too hot, go inside where the air-conditioning is keeping temperatures down to around 22 Celsius.

Unlike many of you, I have never seen snow in my life (and feel that much poorer for the lack of experience!)

Regards

Wombat

RE: My say

Garry

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the points you made and accept your perspective on each point.

I don’t think we differ much in our views. I prefer to become involved in discussions on issues which really matter, then keep on track, to ensure that the views we all express are directly relevant to the original thread. I must confess that I was miffed by the J-35 thread as I felt there was still more to go on that issue, but it digressed, quite quickly, to a discussion about tanks, gas turbines, heat melting sand etc. I couldn’t see the connection and felt that the original thread had been “killed off” as a result. I guess time could show that I was quite wrong, and that the thread had in fact, petered out. I know it’s still on the forum, but you would know how few threads revive after a break of a few days.

I won’t respond to each of your points, as I accept your right to your views and don’t disagree with most things you have said, except for one thing. “Harden up” DEFINITELY isn’t used over here in the same context as NZ – it also has sexual connotations, but that’t about the only thing you said which I refuse to do (because of the local interpretation!!!)

Glad we sorted this out – I’d much rather have you for a fellow member than an opponent.

Regards

Wombat