The Australian Government looks likely to change its GST treatment of digital currencies. In NZ we're left wondering what our Government's position is. This is the second time in about as many weeks Australia has taken steps to...
Iain Blakeley
Barrister - Tax Expert - Business Adviser - Director, Professional, Practical, Fast, Affordable VAT
Overseas companies avoiding GST?
Simon Moutter, Spark's MD, says overseas companies like Netflix are avoiding GST. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11422160 He has a point, and it's not news really. But the debate grows as more New Zealand businesses feel the...
Govt raises stakes for online shoppers
The NZ Prime Minister says his government will go it alone if the OECD doesn't move quickly enough to impose GST or VAT on online sales. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11418586 The fact the Prime Minister is raising this now is...
Charges for failing to turn up to parties
A parent in the UK invoiced the parents of a five year old GBP15.95 because their son failed to turn up to a birthday party after they had accepted the invitation on his behalf. See the story here: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-30876360 They're...
Governments using lotteries to collect tax
Tax collectors in the EU are looking more closely at the use of lotteries to tackle VAT evasion. This paper, just published, discusses how existing lottery schemes work and reveals there could be upside for governments. It concludes more empirical evidence is needed...
Bahamas VAT
The Bahamas will have a new VAT from 1 January 2015: 7.5% (0% for exports) on a broad range of goods and services, few exemptions, small business concessions, "inclusive" pricing and an extensive public education programme. Confirmed by the PM and Minister for...
VAT and online sales
This is a very good item on the wider business implications of proposed changes in Europe to the VAT treatment of online digital media sales. http://performance.ey.com/2014/02/20/vat-change-online-sales-just-tax-concern/ Cheers Iain
Global VAT alignment edges closer
At the Global Forum on VAT in Tokyo last week 86 countries signed up to the first agreed framework for applying VAT to internationally traded services and intangibles. The new guidelines set out core VAT principles to be applied when taxing services and intangibles,...
“Australia should follow NZ GST”?
NZ's GST is certainly the most efficient form of VAT in the world. The "VAT Revenue Ratio" is used by the OECD as a measure of VAT efficiency. The average in the OECD is about 50%. The least efficient is Turkey's VAT at about 30%. NZ ranks top at a little more than...
At least it’s a start – UPDATE on E-commerce in South Africa
At least it's a start. An update on the South African proposal to require non-resident e-services suppliers to register for VAT. The effective date for the new rules has been stretched out to 1 June 2014 (an extension of 2 months) to allow businesses more time to...
Are you ready for the 1st of April 2014?
Change to tax law is as certain as tax itself.The 1st of April is a favourite of governments around the world for ushering in tax changes.Here's a snippet of some changes that are coming into force in GST, VAT and other indirect taxes on 1 April:Albania - Supplies of...