Should new EPIRBs be GST free

[mangomick]

Seeing that the government is forcing in the change over from 121 MHz Epirbs to the new higher frequency EPIRBs to save them wasted time and resources on false alarms shouldnt they be made cheaper to buy due to the government waiving their GST component .
Its not a bad way for goverments to raise an extra dollop of dough is it? Make an item obsolete force you to spend approx $400 bucks virtually replacing the same item then picking up $40 per item in extra taxation revenue
If they were fair dinkum on safety there should be no GST payable on safety equipment.

[ifishcq1]

Mango, it is a pay for every new gov idea.. the epirb is only changing to the international standard I thinkso we have to pay for the item but,, you're right the gst should be dropped on manditory pieces of safety equipment

SL

[tunaticer]

It is only mandatory if you choose to frequent the areas that are deemed to be neccessary to carry an epirb, therefore it is not an accross the board maqndatory safety item for all australians.

Steel toe cap boots are mandatory safety items in lots of working environments and yet they do not avoid GST.

If there was some epidemic where all australians need immunization then the GST would likely be removed.

As it stands with the government nearly every charge they make for any item or service will have a GST on top of the total price. This means we are essentially paying double govt funding for these tansactions and still they will not recognise that either.

Epirbs are at the end of the day a mandatory item for those that choose to need them.

Jack.

[SatNav]

1. The GST component is a fair call? But who pays the costs for the infrastructure to support the system?

2. This decision to change has really nothing to do with any government

3. "Make an item obsolete" Not a governmental decision

4. "virtually replacing the same item" Users should have well and truely realized / understand the differences between 121.5 and 406 Epirbs by now? Same item? Certainly not.

5. So who should pay the system support, setup and day to day "local" operational costs, this is apart from those countries that actually provide/supply the space hardware? Should be the users that actually use the system? Shouldn't they?

[ifishcq1]

It is only mandatory if you choose to frequent the areas that are deemed to be neccessary to carry an epirb, therefore it is not an accross the board maqndatory safety item for all australians.

Steel toe cap boots are mandatory safety items in lots of working environments and yet they do not avoid GST.

If there was some epidemic where all australians need immunization then the GST would likely be removed.

As it stands with the government nearly every charge they make for any item or service will have a GST on top of the total price. This means we are essentially paying double govt funding for these tansactions and still they will not recognise that either.

Epirbs are at the end of the day a mandatory item for those that choose to need them.

Jack.


Right Jack,

but there should be an exemption on all P.P.E from boots to epirbs etc in all situations to encourage people to have the appropriate safety equipment there are a few cases where epirbs are a nessesity


a lot of boaties fly by the seat of their pants struggling from trip to trip and every little bit helps.. You would find that the guys that can afford to have everything usually have a business or job to write the gst off to.. so once again the taxes are paid by worker on the lower end of the pay scale



SL

[mangomick]

It is only mandatory if you choose to frequent the areas that are deemed to be neccessary to carry an epirb, therefore it is not an accross the board maqndatory safety item for all australians.

Steel toe cap boots are mandatory safety items in lots of working environments and yet they do not avoid GST.

If there was some epidemic where all australians need immunization then the GST would likely be removed.

As it stands with the government nearly every charge they make for any item or service will have a GST on top of the total price. This means we are essentially paying double govt funding for these tansactions and still they will not recognise that either.

Epirbs are at the end of the day a mandatory item for those that choose to need them.

Jack.

When my work boots wear out I buy a new pair and pay GST. my EPIRB hasnt worn out Mate.
I'm being forced by law to throw away a perfectly good EPIRB because it has been mandated by a Government instrumentality. Therefore it should be GST exempt

[TimiBoy]

By the reasoning of some in the world, all safety and ppe should be GST free.

Does that include airbags and seatbelts? Perhaps only in work vehicles?

What about safety glasses? Perhaps only if they are tinted? But some people will wear them as sunnies and get away with not paying tax... Should it only be when used at work? What about when I'm sawing doing a home project?

there are millions of examples where it could be argued.

That is why it is charged on everything. The regulatory requirements if you don't are outrageous, and it's just dumb to impose them.

When used in a work environment, you claim GST back. When not, you don't. Or do you want to go back to a graduated sales tax system that bit just as hard, and was much harder to administer? I wish people would take off the LEFT/RIGHT blinkers.

If a boatie is not using an EPIRB where he should, because he doesn't want to pay the GST, I'd suggest he's a pratt. They probably would have attracted 22% sales tax before GST anyway.

[SatNav]

"I'm being forced by law to throw away a perfectly good EPIRB because it has been mandated by a Government instrumentality."

1. Firstly 121.5 models are not perfectly good, they have flaws and this has been well and truely realized many years ago

2. Secondly the change is not mandated by government, this needs to be fully understood

3. Nobody has touched on the costs to actually monitor the system? Too hard or not convenient?

4. Ok remove the miserable amount of GST and one scenario might be, if you activate it then you receive the bill in full. Are you prepared to accept this?

[FNQCairns]

"I'm being forced by law to throw away a perfectly good EPIRB because it has been mandated by a Government instrumentality."

1. Firstly 121.5 models are not perfectly good, they have flaws and this has been well and truely realized many years ago

2. Secondly the change is not mandated by government, this needs to be fully understood

3. Nobody has touched on the costs to actually monitor the system? Too hard or not convenient?

4. Ok remove the miserable amount of GST and one scenario might be, if you activate it then you receive the bill in full. Are you prepared to accept this?

OK I will, de-mandate the system;), allow me the freedom to travel without paying extra for the privilege of free choice, no 406 onboard would not change my plans, the fact they didn't exist years ago, didn't change them then, the water and weather has not changed.

As an individual I am not a believer in 'winning reverse lotto' although that may change one day if I ever win a good 1st division windfall :) but what are my odds .0000000000001/1? wouldn't be too far out..... then what are the odds of a single individual recreational day trippers life being saved as a result of the 406 absolutely!? how many 0s can a person fit on a page, somewhere along the lines of the odds of finding a piece of radioactive space junk in the act high country while looking for gold tops!...I suspect.

But the 406 will save government money and mandating it as a condition of free travel against rec fisherman will subsidise the commercial sector, terrestrial and aviation rescues mounted all via the GST on the units - the system works!!LOL.

Some rescue figures posted not long ago were interesting.

Yes I would pay for my rescue, I suspect the odds say I would need to live a billion+ times to be rescued solely as a result of a 406.

Why don't they through personal choice force us to wear a faraday (sp) suit when walking in the open on cloudy days to protect from lightning strike??

Answer is 2 paramedics only needed to attend.

cheers fnq

[SatNav]

1. Boaties are renown for trying to buck the system and unfortuneatly or is that fortuneately they bring the legislation onto themselves?

2. Who is ever going to guarantee they will never ever be a statistic, forget the odds, just guarantee YOU will never ever be the statistic

3. "Yes I would pay for my rescue" What would you expect the rescue costs to be, totally inclusive?

4. Statistics are now over 22,000 persons attributed to Epirbs

5. Australia is certainly not exempt. Maybe if Epirbs were not regulatory Australia would have no dots, just dead statistics?

[SatNav]

http://www.cospas-sarsat.org/Status/2006Saves.jpg

[FNQCairns]

1. Boaties are renown for trying to buck the system and unfortuneatly or is that fortuneately they bring the legislation onto themselves?

2. Who is ever going to guarantee they will never ever be a statistic, forget the odds, just guarantee YOU will never ever be the statistic

3. "Yes I would pay for my rescue" What would you expect the rescue costs to be, totally inclusive?

4. Statistics are now over 22,000 persons attributed to Epirbs

5. Australia is certainly not exempt. Maybe if Epirbs were not regulatory Australia would have no dots, just dead statistics?

yeah I understand the authoritative mindset and if I were as an individual actually a block of rec boaties it would make sense, alas I am only one man, one vote, one value, 406s mandated in comparison to recommended against free travel doesn't cut the mustard.

The odds that I the individual will ever need a 406 is so stupidly slim as to be insurmountably small, I know it, they know it too but the odds they will fine me the individual for not having one makes for a high value added product not to mention someone has to subsise the other users like the ones in your map and stats, a better heading could be" rescues where a 406 was set off at some stage".

I feel no safer (illogical to feel safer) as an individual and would happily opt out in a free country and take the space junk odds that I would need to pay for a rescue if that rescue could only have been achieved by 406 (providing I was rescued).

How much is a rescue - if free trade commercial rates applied not a huge amount, if by the inefficiency and overpricing of government - probably 5 times the true market cost;). Read not long ago 12k for a new SS departing ladder at a public pool!

Bottom line is a day tripping rec fisher buys their mandated 406 they should also buy a lotto ticket, if the lotto ticket comes off 1st division then buy another ticket the odds this person will win twice are still better than this individual person ever being saved as a result of the 406 only.

I also promise to pay for another satellite if I ever get hit under my previous scenario;D

cheers fnq