Aust Post charged me extra GST on Postage stamps

[masterstroke.eng]

I sent a parcel off today overseas  I affixed  $30  worth of high denomination  stamps  which I  had. Knowing that the parcel would cost alot more to send to the UK  i was prepared to pay the difference . What i didnt expect was when i was told that I would have to pay $3 dollars extra  for GST for the $30 worth of stamps . What ! I exclaimed ooh yes post office directive, i was told . I noticed that the franked postage sticker that was attached noted that is was GST free .Could it have been that the clerk was mistaken and  i should have got a $3 dollar refund  ?

[digital*ghost]

A similar thing happened to me the other week, and I meant to look up what the deal was, but haven't got around to it as yet, and I was only charged 30c extra so it hasn't been at the forefront of my mind (my package was an international letter under 50g - I put 4 x 70c stamps on it for a total of $2.80, while the actual price is $2.75, and the staff member said something about GST and put an extra 30c stamps on there).

When I got home, my initial thought was how does that even work? If I give AP X amount of money, shouldn't I get = service for same amount of money, since if I hadn't put any stamps on there, I would have passed over $2.75 in cash...and then they can work out for themselves how to divvy up the funds? o_O

I'm guessing one of the other (i.e. international or domestic) includes GST while the other doesn't - I presume it's domestic that doesn't, otherwise they wouldn't ask you to pay more for GST if using domestic stamps for international packages, but then that also works out that you've ended up paying Aus Post more than necessary for a service, so I won't be doing that again. 

[imastawka]

Domestic stamps don't work for overseas mail. 

Because of the GST component I'm guessing.

International stamps are what is required. They are different

For international mail don't put domestic stamps on.

Take the parcel to the PO for processing.

If I'm wrong or explained it incorrectly, then I blame the hour.

It's been a long day

[rapadaan]

I send old B/W  photos overseas ( >50 grms ) Newzealand is $1.75 the rest is $2.75  I buy  stamps over the counter  but never asked to pay extra gst     I have a large parcel to send tommorow  might put an old  20 cent stamp on it  see what happens

[roseworthy11]

my understanding is that you should not have had to pay an extra $3.00 GST as you already paid the GST component on the domestic stamps when you purchased the stamps - otherwise, if we took a letter to the post office with a 70 cent stamp on it, we would all get charged another 7 cents when we hand it over the counter.

There is no GST charged on Aust Post international stamps and the international stamps have a blue bar on them that says International. However, you can use domestic stamps to post an international parcel or letter, if you so wish.

The fact that you had already paid the GST on the domestic stamps when you purchased them is considered your bad luck and you can't get it back, but to charge you another $3.00 for GST is totally wrong, IMO - that means you've paid double GST on the domestic stamps.

How did the GST charge of $3 show on the official Aust Post receipt? That would be quite interesting.

[roseworthy11]

Cancel that - I think I have it the wrong way around!!!

[rapadaan]

that sounds bazzar havent noticed anything different on the stamp ?? 

[roseworthy11]

No, I am right. If you look at an official Aust Post receipt - local stamps have an asterix next to them and then further on the receipt, there is a note saying asterix means includes GST.

I also have an international parcel on the same receipt and it is not with an asterix.

I have looked at another receipt which is all local and the GST is 1/11th of the total - so I am not wrong.

And any post office charging GST on domestic stamps used on an international parcel is wrong, in my opinion.

[digital*ghost]

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@roseworthy11 wrote:
No, I am right. If you look at an official Aust Post receipt - local stamps have an asterix next to them and then further on the receipt, there is a note saying asterix means includes GST.

I also have an international parcel on the same receipt and it is not with an asterix.

I have looked at another receipt which is all local and the GST is 1/11th of the total - so I am not wrong.

And any post office charging GST on domestic stamps used on an international parcel is wrong, in my opinion.

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The staff member who charged me was just going to accept the package, but I made a point of asking if it was ok for me to affix domestic stamps and she stopped and thought for a second, then seemed a little stumped and actually said she can never remember which way it works (i.e. charge extra or refund overage). She decided to put the 30c on to be on the safe side, and at the time I just handed it over 'cos I wasn't going to quibble about 30c one way or the other. 

But if domestic stamps include GST, that means $2.80 domestic stamps pays for around $2.55 worth of service, IYKWIM. If the international price of $2.75 is GST free, then I still need to give AP 20c and the government owes me 25c of GST back 😄