Australian Customs Duty

[essbee2085]

This query refers only to goods with a purchase cost of less than A$1,000.

I have noticed that since GST became payable on goods imported into Australia with a value of less than A$1,000, items out of the USA also include a 5% customs duty charge.

I have made three ebay purchases ex USA since 31 July - two watches and a set of headphones. On each of these items, GST has been charged at 10% (correctly), as well as what seems to be customs duty at 5%, all wrapped up in a single amount described as 'Import Charges'.

My understanding is that items costing less than the equivalent of A$1,000 do not attract Customs Duty.

Items I have purchased from other countries (correctly) include GST at 10%, but no customs duty component.

I've tried talking to ebay, who say that the 'Import Charge' is calculated by Pitney Bowes, and that they (ebay) have no control over what is charged (!!).

Has anyone alse experienced this?

Have I correctly interpreted the ATO's advice on its website that duty is not applicable (in general) to items costing less that A$1,000?

[cezm]

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@timewallshop wrote:

 I effectively have just paid AUD50 for a AUD10 magazine

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There is no correlation between the cost of an item and the cost of receiving it - one is paid to the seller and one to the freight company/customs etc. 

I have had quite a few buyers pay, for example, $10 for a book and $60 for it to travel across the world. It must have been of greater value to them than it was to me.

[offroad7400]

Magazines will soon become collectors items. Stock up now on Australian titles and in ten years time they will be worth even less... or will it be the other way around ?

No wonder news agents sell more **bleep** than anything readable these days..