THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is looking forward to the low-value import threshold (LVIT) GST changes from July 1, as it will create a fairer tax system and put local retailers on a level playing field.

Russell Zimmerman, executive director of the ARA, said the ARA had been lobbying this issue for several years as this new legislation will provide a significant lift for the local industry.

“For too long, Aussie retailers have been at a pricing disadvantage to overseas retailers,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“We’re hoping this tax fairness will give a much-needed boost to the industry and we will continue to work with the Government to ensure a 100 percent collection rate.”

As the GST has not previously applied to purchases under the A$1000 threshold, the ARA reminds overseas retailers that this legislation took effect on Sunday 1 July 2018. This move follows the successful introduction of measures in July 2017, which saw GST applied to LVIT digital products and services purchased from overseas.

“This, in combination with the extended GST application to tangible products and services under the LVIT will help to level the playing field for local retailers,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“This will provide a fairer trading environment for our local retailers and a welcome boost to our members and the broader retail industry.”

The ARA has been in close communication with the ATO during the lead-up to the implementation of LVIT GST and will continue to work with Government and the ATO to ensure the best possible outcome for the local retail industry, including proposing additional collection models to improve compliance.

For more information, retailers can access the ATO website here.

About the Australian Retailers Association:

Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is Australia’s largest retail association, representing the country’s $310 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. As Australia’s leading retail peak industry body, the ARA is a strong pro-active advocate for Australian retail and works to ensure retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 7,500 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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POWERED by CSIRO and delivered in partnership with DST under the Next Generation Technologies Fund, ON Prime5 will be run nationally starting September 2018.

Applications are open until July 13, 2018.

ON Prime Defence is a part-time pre-accelerator experience which gives researchers a unique opportunity to fast-track their science or technology proposition with expert guidance from those who've been there and done it before.

Participants will be integrated with their local ON Prime cohort, in their closest capital city hub, as well as invited to attend an exclusive national session, expressly designed for all ON Prime Defence participants from across the country.

All prospective participants need to do is indicate that they are on a research team working on a Defence technology on the ON application form. 

It is  free to participate and all intellactual property (IP) and equity remains the property of the participating team or their sponsoring institute. 

All ON accelerator experiences are open to teams with at least one research employee from CSIRO, Australian universities or Australia's publicly funded research agencies (PFRA). The research employee may be full time, part-time or a casual employee of a PFRA.

ON Prime Defence offers a unique opportunity to apply  science or tech research to Australia's national security and defence.

For more information visit the ON Prime: Defence web page.  

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THE sugar industry and community stakeholders are being encouraged to have their say as part of the Federal Government's review of the Sugar Code of Conduct from today.

Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud said it was logical to review whether the Code of Conduct was providing certainty and stability for the sugar industry.

"I understand there are a range of views on the effect the Code has had on the industry," Minister Littleproud said.

"We want to hear from all players along the supply chain to get a clear picture of how the Code is working."

Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said those interested in making a written submission have six weeks to do so.

"It's important everyone gets their say on this important reform, so they need to get in and do it before it's too late.

"Face-to-face meetings will also take place and I really encourage as many cane growers, millers and marketers as possible to have their say," Ms Landry said.

Member for Dawson George Christensen said the Code was put in place in 2017 to regulate the conduct of growers, mill owners and marketers.

"We introduced the code to make sure that our canegrowers would be able to negotiate contracts with mills and marketers in a fair environment and to give growers choice in marketers," Mr Christensen said.

"The Coalition introduced the Code to take a stand for hard-working canegrowers and to make sure they are guarded against the power imbalances in the sugar supply chain."

The review will examine the Code in accordance with its terms of reference and provide advice to the government before the end of the year. Submissions close 5pm (AEST) Wednesday 22 August 2018.

For more information about the Code review visit https://haveyoursay.agriculture.gov.au/sugar-code-of-conduct-review.

Fast Facts:

• The terms of reference released for public consultation week of 1 July 2018
• Submissions open the week of 1 July 2018 and close 22 August 2018
• Targeted consultation will be undertaken in September 2018
• The final report will be delivered to government by the end of 2018​

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THE Federal Government is calling for submissions into the Review that will help prepare the consumer protections framework for the future telecommunications market.

The telecommunications landscape has changed significantly since the existing protections were put in place.

The discussion paper for Part A of the Review proposes recommendations and reforms to ensure that customers have access to effective redress and complaints handling mechanisms.

The proposals in the discussion paper build on the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA’s) Complaints-Handling Standard by reinforcing the requirement for providers to have robust processes and systems for managing and escalating consumer complaints.

The paper also recommends the establishment of an independent external dispute resolution body for complex complaints that cannot be resolved directly between the customer and their provider.

Public consultation on this part of the Review will be open until 13 July 2018. Discussion papers for Part B covering reliability of services and Part C covering choice and fairness will be released for comment shortly.

The review will report to Government by the end of 2018.

www.communications.gov.au

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