Australians may face 10% tax fee for steam sales.

[AmirMC]

In a bid to raise revenue, the conservative Australian government has moved to place a 10% tax on anything purchased from the steam store. This comes on the back of the wildly unpopular "Australia tax" which aims to capatilise on the popularity of online digital games and media sales. (irrespective of the fact that we already pay some of the highest fees in the world, for internet and electricity).

This currently has support from the head government as well as the oppostion, but Valve have not commented on whether they will support this action, as of yet. (We all know how much they hate anyone undercutting their profits, especially those pesky game developers). However, it is rumoured that this will be an automatic deduction applied specifically through financial institutions for anything considered as a "luxury" digital item.

 

Australia already pay some of the highest prices for video games, often around 10-30% per USD, (Not including conversion rates).

This is a sad day indeed, for anyone from the (not so) great southern land.
All i can say, is that i hope Lord Gaben shows mercy on us all.

 

Source: http://www.pcgamer.com/australians-may-face-10-tax-fee-for-steam-transactions/

Background reading for video game prices in Australia: http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/why-do-videogames-cost-so-much/

 

 

[Guest]

Yeah we Europeans pay like 20% more than Americans when you convert it.

(well not right now cos the Euro is having a bad time)

[AmirMC]

Forget oil, the USD is backed by steam games...

[ofr057]

we all knew this day was happening, hopefully with this money they will actually invest it into technology - like us getting a nbn before 2050.

The one thing I dont like is retailers whining about the lowering of the tax free price down to 500 isnt enough.

[MuffinTopMike]

Here is the issue with the Australian government. They are super annoyed that everyone is pirating movies, software and games, but the only reason why Australians pirate to much is because everything here already costs so much. Then the government use their logic and instead of making movies, software and games cheaper, to reduce pirating they add more tax to it to make it cost more. Now consumers are stuck, you can now get fined for pirating so people can't do that anymore and now entertainment costs more with the new tax so that you can't buy games without burning a massive hole in you wallet. What's next a new tax for online entertainment like YouTube? To be honest I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe if the government knew what they were doing, they would realize that raising taxes isn't going to fix our debt problem.

[The Benjamins]

Forget oil, the USD is backed by steam games...

 

I never understood "backed by" in money like USD backed by gold. Too me its just a false sense of security.

[Misanthrope]

I would say they should go for it if at the same time they remove the stupid fucking restrictions to adult games.

[The Crazed Child]

pathetic country I live in, just another reason to move somewhere else

I would literally sell everything I had to go overseas. I don't give a fuck if I'm homeless, at least I'd be out of this dumbshit country for good and never come back

[AmirMC]

This probably wouldn't bother me as much, if we didn't already pay so much more than everyone, for everything. It's like we're isolated down here and our government don't own the rights to our own natural resources, so they tax the f**k out of everything to correct our lack of GDP.

[linuxfan66]

It may be done transparently in order to make this things smooth...who knows wait and see.

[DuckDodgers]

Here is the issue with the Australian government. They are super annoyed that everyone is pirating movies, software and games, but the only reason why Australians pirate to much is because everything here already costs so much. Then the government use their logic and instead of making movies, software and games cheaper, to reduce pirating they add more tax to it to make it cost more. Now consumers are stuck, you can now get fined for pirating so people can't do that anymore and now entertainment costs more with the new tax so that you can't buy games without burning a massive hole in you wallet. What's next a new tax for online entertainment like YouTube? To be honest I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe if the government knew what they were doing, they would realize that raising taxes isn't going to fix our debt problem.

 

It all seems like an assault on the new media from the old guard, by the virtue of backstage lobbying. Someone want's aussies to stick with the TV and newspapers.

[Biased Opinion]

Ill just use my vpn to prententd im in the states when i buy shit then.

[That Norwegian Guy]

My heart bleeds for Australia (not sarcasm) if I lived there I'd be considering very illegal actions against the people who run the place. I'm surprised there's not any more civil unrest, people need entertainment to stay sane.

[Trik'Stari]

Wow Australians, yall need to handle your sh*t. Get those cranky old geezers out of there.

[ManWithBeard1990]

My heart bleeds for Australia (not sarcasm) if I lived there I'd be considering very illegal actions against the people who run the place. I'm surprised there's not any more civil unrest, people need entertainment to stay sane.

I think it's because they have twinturbo v8s to keep themselves entertained which isn't so bad, really.

[Trik'Stari]

I think it's because they have twinturbo v8s to keep themselves entertained which isn't so bad, really.

I wonder how much the tax on that is.

[coen113]

This probably wouldn't bother me as much, if we didn't already pay so much more than everyone, for everything. It's like we're isolated down here and our government don't own the rights to our own natural resources, so they tax the f**k out of everything to correct our lack of GDP.

The average aus wage is 50% higher than the us wage

[RatedBlam]

I never understood "backed by" in money like USD backed by gold. Too me its just a false sense of security.

Isn't The US dollar a fiat currency. So it's value is derived from regulations and things not a concrete thing like gold.

[The Benjamins]

Isn't The US dollar a fiat currency. So it's value is derived from regulations and things not a concrete thing like gold.

 

It is a fiat currency and WAS "backed by" gold. "backed by" means the government will give you this amount of gold per dollar is "shit goes down" but if the government is gone so is its "backed by" promise.

 

I see the value of anything, even money, as what it is from the eyes of the beholder. I feel people should put their own value on it, like the hours they worked to get it, and compare it to the general consensus of the community to see its "weight" with others.

 

for example. I work 1 hour I make $10. I see the value of $10 as i hour of my time/effort. when I go to a restaurant to get a nice juicy burger, they say it cost $5. now I should think is that burger worth  $5 or 30 min of time/effort? if yes or the value of the burger is greater then that it is a good buy. if not I think its expensive.

 

also USD will not have value if people don't think it does no matter how much a person says it does.

[Dabombinable]

pathetic country I live in, just another reason to move somewhere else

I would literally sell everything I had to go overseas. I don't give a fuck if I'm homeless, at least I'd be out of this dumbshit country for good and never come back

NZ is heading the same way and America is worse, where would you go to escape the overpaid nannies?

[Guest]

I think it's because they have twinturbo v8s to keep themselves entertained which isn't so bad, really.

 

That's mainly a once a year thing, over a weekend. No-one cares about them the rest of the year.

[ZetZet]

Yeah we Europeans pay like 20% more than Americans when you convert it.

(well not right now cos the Euro is having a bad time)

VAT. (Greece)

[AmirMC]

The average aus wage is 50% higher than the us wage

I don't think it is that high, but it's largely due to the fact that we have a reasonable minimum wage. We also have like 20% of our citizens living on stable long term welfare and in government housing, because there aren't any jobs. When you factor that, plus the massive amount of tax that we already pay, it evens out quite reasonably. Then we go to McDonald's and pay 5 dollars for a Big Mac, because the cost of living is much higher here.

You'll find this interesting. Living in my city (which isn't even a main city, or Capitol of anything) is currently more expensive than living in New York. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2909454/Proof-property-market-gone-mad-s-expensive-live-Wollongong-NEW-YORK-Australian-house-prices-overvalued-49-CENT.html

[Dabombinable]

I don't think it is that high, but it's largely due to the fact that we have a reasonable minimum wage. We also have like 20% of our citizens living on stable long term welfare and in government housing, because there aren't any jobs. When you factor that, plus the massive amount of tax that we already pay, it evens out quite reasonably. Then we go to McDonald's and pay 5 dollars for a Big Mac, because the cost of living is much higher here.

You'll find this interesting. Living in my city (which isn't even a main city, or Capitol of anything) is currently more expensive than living in New York. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2909454/Proof-property-market-gone-mad-s-expensive-live-Wollongong-NEW-YORK-Australian-house-prices-overvalued-49-CENT.html

Thank you for the link, reading it right now.

[mr moose]

So basically the government wants to ensure all products that are supposed to have the GST are actually being charged the GST?  

 

Tell me people, why should you have to pay GST for GTA V if you buy it from EB games, but not pay it if you buy it on steam?  IF you buy it from EB games you are providing at least one Australian with a job, you buy it on steam and your lining Gaben's pockets. 

 

This is not some major money grab, it is simply balancing the GST so it is actually applied to all sales avenues, not just the ones that employ the most Aussies.

 

Also for anyone not educated enough about the state of the world, Australia is one of the best countries to be in, Free health care,  the worlds best consumer protection laws and agencies, very low crime rates,  I have yet to meet an unemployed person who didn't want to be (there is work for those looking). And our education system is actually close to one of the best (not necessarily in outcomes but certainly in accessibility and rigid curriculum).

 

Mean Aussie income before tax $57,980

mean US income before tax $52,250

Allowing for conversion rates there's not much of a difference.