工党税务发言人斯图亚特∙纳什（Stuart Nash）日前提醒商家：政府在税改计划上语焉不详和不确定性意味着各企业真的要将GST很可能涨到15%的因素考虑在内，免得被套个正着。

 
“工党强烈反对把GST从现在的12.5%调涨到15%，因为那样做对中低收入家庭伤害极大----他们无法得到公平补偿，同时工党也担心涨GST会给现政府治下已经晦暗低迷的本国商业雪上加霜。

实际上，企业在报价时，应当开始将增加的GST包含在内。若不这样做，而是按之前的报价销售，那么他们将会遇到麻烦。

斯图亚特.纳什还称，“工党在未来的数月内将继续为反对ＧＳＴ上涨而战，但是，若该提案得以通过，那么那些早在正式合同签署前几个月前就定好了报价的企业，会遇到某些问题。比方说我能想到的是建筑公司或者旅行社，当然，不仅仅限于这些企业。

 “我认为，不少建筑商早已给出了工程报价，现在他们却得担心GST上涨对项目最终盈利的影响。

“至少，可能受到影响的个人和企业应该在合约中增加一条可行性条款，以便他们在面对GST上涨时，能以同样的比率上调价格。

 “或不然，这些企业和个人在报价时，应刨去GST的价格，同时提醒潜在的顾客或者消费者，GST上涨可能会影响产品的最终造价。若企业和个人不这么做，或者尚未这么做，那么他们或许会有麻烦了。”

联系：斯图亚特纳什 021 444 888

15 February 2010        Media Statement       

Businesses need to factor in GST rise now to prevent being caught out 

The uncertainty the Government has created around tax means that businesses really need to be factoring in a GST increase to 15 percent now to avoid being caught out, says Labour Revenue spokesperson Stuart Nash.

“Labour is strongly opposed to raising GST from 12.5 percent to 15 percent because it will badly affect low to middle-income earners, who will not be fairly compensated, but we are also concerned about the impact on businesses who have been left by the Government to operate in the dark,” Stuart Nash said.

“Businesses actually have to start factoring in increased GST now in relation to quotes they are making. If they don’t, they’ll find themselves in difficulty down the road if their quotes are successful.

“Labour will keep fighting the signalled GST increase in coming months, but if it goes ahead, then businesses who quote months ahead of contracts being decided have a particular problem. I’m thinking of construction companies and tourism operators, for example, but there are many more,” Stuart Nash said.

“I suspect that there are a number of builders out there who have already quoted on work, and who are now concerned about an increase in GST impacting on a project’s bottom line. 

“At the very least, those individuals and companies who may be affected should be putting a contingency clause in their contracts which allows them to increase prices by the same rate as any increase in GST,” Stuart Nash said.

“Or, if not, then they should make their quotes GST exclusive, and warn potential customers and clients that increases in GST may impact on a project’s final cost. If they don’t – or haven’t already done so – then they could be in trouble.” 

Contact: Stuart Nash 021 444 888.