Comments on: Luxury brands insulted by tax rise

By: wayne piltz

wayne piltz — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 03:04:32 +0000

LUXURY TAX FOR THE RICH EH. I EARN AROUND 50 GRAND A YEAR BUT THERES NO WAY I CAN AFFORD EVEN THE CHEAPEST OF NEW CARS. I HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER TAX CHILD SUPPORT AT AROUND $9000 A YEAR KINDA CUTS OUT ANY NEW PURCHASE. I’D BE HAPPY FOR EVEN THE CHEAPEST KIA. SO MUCH FOR THIS GOVERNMENT HELP THE AVERAGE AUSTRALIAN, THEY’RE ONLY HELPING THEIR OWN POCKETS. REMEMBER THEIR PAY RISE AT 30% WE ALL HAVE TO FIGHT JUST TO KEEP OUR OWN AT 4%. WHEN WILL ALL OF YOU WAKE UP AND REALISE WE ARE ALL BEING RIPPED OFF BY THESE PEOPLE

By: Bavarian Missile

Bavarian Missile — Tue, 20 May 2008 02:20:29 +0000

I was going to say the same Golf but got up to make some Miso soup………

Maybe he means for the 50k you can spend on them you can have
a local priced performance car less tax and charges on the options!

Me Ill pick a good second hand Euro performance car for the same money over any of the local stuff.

By: Golfschwein

Golfschwein — Tue, 20 May 2008 02:08:31 +0000

That’s a very good point about the other charges, Tony.

But I don’t agree the cars you describe are badly underpowered. Check the back pages of WHEELS and see for yourself.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 20 May 2008 01:40:52 +0000

Many of the so-called luxury cars sold are BMW 320 (an underpowered 2 litre engine), Merc C-200 (an underpowered 1.8 litre engine) and Audi A4 (an underpowered 1.8 litre engine). Motoring jounalists should do Australians a favour by informing them just how badly underpowered and over-priced these cars are. If the increase in tax prevents some people from buying these cars, it would be a good outcome.

Merc charges $1,900 for metallic paint and $2,500 for delivery of the car. Why do people pay these and yet complain about tax?

By: AlbertK21

AlbertK21 — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:00:04 +0000

Buying cars that cost more than $60K is an emotional driven choice. Accords, Camry’s & Lancers do in practical terms all that these cars can do. There are no rational reason for paying 2 to 3 times for something that fundamentally completes the required tasks no better, unless of course the task includes impressing everyone else sat in the traffic jam. The purchasers of exclusiveness, should be pleased that the tax has been increased for this makes their choice more rational, at least in their terms.

By: AlbertK21

AlbertK21 — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:50:47 +0000

There are no rational reasons for spending > $55K for a car. The only “reasons” are purely emotional. You can buy a main stream Accord, Camry, Lancer etc. that will on all practical considerations do the same job as a BMW 3 series or a Mer C200. If you have sufficient money & the “desire” to spend (waste) such money on a car, then go ahead & do so, but I for one thinks its a good idea to divert some of your money towards developing our fine nation.

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Wed, 14 May 2008 01:47:16 +0000

We can only dream Steve C, If only!

By: SteveC

SteveC — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:17:47 +0000

I think the car manufacturers should insult the Government back by reducing all their car prices $1 below the threshold.

SteveC…. lining up for his Porsche

By: o

Tue, 13 May 2008 11:26:50 +0000

its just rubbish the only way i will pay that tax is if i can at least donate it to a bettter cause than swans salary it just a big jinx no other countrie is penalised as much as oz for being rich

By: Flying High

Flying High — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:04:33 +0000

PoisonEagle. Meagre Adjustment you say. When next you buy any new vehicle go and give the ATO an extra 8% on the purchase price (it is all proportionate right?) and see how meagre it is. It is the only way your dumb post could be vindicated. I am sorry, but whilst this country has a $21,000,000,000 surplus there is NO need for extra cash. It is a populist tax that has been put in place so that the govt can say ‘we are doing something’. One does not need to offer an alternative in such circumstances

RealCars. Where do you get off making dopey comments like that? Everyone has the same tax breaks available to be used – they are there for anyone for given circumstances – no one is going to stop you. The same rules apply across the board.

At the end of the day it comes down to not what ‘percentage’ of your income did you pay in tax, but how many ‘$’ did you pay. Not to mention how many benefits did you also receive from the govt already being on a lower income. Benefits not available to the ‘rich’.

And that my friend is an argument you cannot win. So best for you to stay off your high horse before you fall down and break your neck.

btw I didn’t say I can afford a luxury car – however the notion of anyone paying even more tax than they already do in this very highly taxed country – and then getting told we are going to slug you even higher Luxury Tax + GST (tax on tax) really is immoral.

By: Chucky

Chucky — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:54:01 +0000

PoisonEagle Says:
May 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pm

Nobody likes to pay extra tax, but the point everybody with half a brain is trying to make- is that in the grand scheme of things this is meagre adjustment, and money matters less to people with that sort of income.

——————————————————————————————–

And the point everybody with a whole brain is trying to make is that it is a meagre adjustment to an already exhorbitant amount of tax being paid. Can you et that through your head?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:37:41 +0000

In the scheme of things, this increase is pretty negligible. A $10,000 increase on a 911 Carrera S probably doesn’t matter when you’re spending over $230,000. But where does it end? Australians already pay way too much for cars that cost a fraction in the US, even accounting for currency differences. You can pick up a 911 CS in the States for US$83,000 – about A$88K. Disregarding the regular importer justifications for this huge discrepancy (to do with equipment specifications, shipping costs etc), most of the difference is because of tax!!

By: realcars

realcars — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:03:32 +0000

Off your High Horse Flying High.

PAYE contribute the lions share of tax i.e average joes on 50k a year and also pay disproportionately large amount of tax compared to self employed and high income earners.
They don’t have the tax breaks that are available to the affluent. I know many good honest hardworking people on 50k a year. Howard done a good job in his term ensuring he got blood,sweat and tears for 50K.

As a percentage of total income the rich contribute less to the tax take. Also if u take GST into account the rich are also in front in this regard as well.

Flying High u really are an idiot. Just be greatful u can afford a luxury car u cretin.

By: PoisonEagle

PoisonEagle — Tue, 13 May 2008 05:51:18 +0000

If you fail to understand it’s because you lack the capacity. The most dimwitted thing is your statement about ‘donations’. Nobody likes to pay extra tax, but the point everybody with half a brain is trying to make- is that in the grand scheme of things this is meagre adjustment, and money matters less to people with that sort of income. Do you really think someone would rationalise their purchase of say an Audi over a Mercedes because of price?
It’s funny the wankers that criticize this don’t offer any sort of better alternative- just like to contribute their 0.000002c
Look, it sucks but it had to be taken from somewhere, and it’s better than completely crippling low income earners.

By: Flying High

Flying High — Tue, 13 May 2008 04:47:51 +0000

I fail to understand the basis for a number of bloggers here making a grandiose statement such as “the rich can afford it”.

If you are so happy to pay more tax then donate some to the cause. I am yet to see anyone pulling more dosh out of their pocket and volunteering to the taxman. If not, keep ridiculous comments like to yourself.

No matter how much you earn, paying more tax is not pleasant. And the pittance most people classed as ‘battlers’ contribute to the tax income overall is nothing in comparison to how much the so called ‘rich’ who have generally worked harder to get where they are adding to the pie.

How many of the bloggers making such sweeping statements pay 40K of tax a year? And these same bloggers would have the hide to say more should be paid by those who already do pay more? Get a grip.

You should just say thank you for giving so much and be on your merry way and stop making dimwit comments.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 13 May 2008 04:36:38 +0000

This is shocking. Just because some people have enough money to buy a 3 series over a Corolla doesn’t mean that they should pay even more for the privilege. They already pay higher taxes due to what they earn so I dont see why you need to pay even more just because you can have a nice car. Besides, I remember about 20 years ago all my dad had ever wanted was a BMW and he never thought he could afford one but he always saved all the money he could and eventually he finally bought his dream car – a 530i. He had been saving for over 15 years! My point is that not everyone who has one of these cars buys them with cash to spare.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:56:25 +0000

The luxury tax threshold should have been raised to $80,000 to be a bit more consistent with the world ‘luxury’ and to keep up with inflation.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:09:16 +0000

It will be interesting to see Mercedes Benz’ response to the Government’s proposal.

By: RoFlmaTiC

RoFlmaTiC — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:09:03 +0000

With the 20 Billion dollar surplus or whatever it will be, you wouldn’t think there’s much justification for the increase…

By: Bret

Bret — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:07:37 +0000

And whilst we are off topic, whats the deal with droppind the medicare surcharge for people who earn up to $100,000??
All that is going to do is make them drop out of private health insurance, forcing up the rates and hitting those who really need health insurance, but are struggling to pay for it: WORKING FAMILIES.
Oh, thats right, you go through the public system instead, which will cave in under the extra load, forcing up the medicare levy for everyone.
Make no mistake, these changes are veiled methods to force UP a whole raft of mainsteam taxes. (That IS the Labor way).