SME owners are in the vanguard of a movement to try and persuade the Federal Government to remove the $1000 GST threshold
The Swan Chamber of Commerce, in Midland, Western Australia, will launch a campaign calling on the Federal Government to scrap the $1000 GST threshold immediately.
The ‘We can’t wait’ initiative will see the chamber call on all business associations across Australia, and more than 2,000,000 business owners around the country, to join them in their campaign to urge the Federal Government to scrap the threshold on overseas imports as a matter of urgency.
In August, state and territory treasurers agreed that from July 2017, the GST will apply to all products and services sold by vendors overseas into Australia.
The Australian Retailers Association and Small Business Association have already pledged their support for removing the threshold before 2017.
Supporters of the campaign argue that, since the GST was introduced, many small businesses and industries have suffered due to policies which encourage overseas spending.
Gerry Hanssen, president, Swan Chamber of Commerce, said the country cannot afford to lose any more small businesses which are the leading employers for Australian jobs.
‘We simply can’t wait until July 1st 2017 for the change. It has to happen immediately, or no later than July 1st 2016,’ he said.
