GST Explained: Why Do We Pay It?

In New Zealand, GST, or Goods and Services Tax, is applied to almost all goods and services we buy. But why is GST charged in the first place? Simply put, GST is a major source of government revenue, helping fund essential services and infrastructure.

How Does GST Help New Zealand?

Every time you pay GST on a product or service, that money goes to the government. These funds support things like healthcare, education, roads, and public safety. In other words, GST helps keep New Zealand running smoothly by funding services everyone uses.

GST is actually one of the largest sources of tax revenue in New Zealand, providing approximately one-third of the government's tax income. This makes it crucial for funding the public services we all rely on daily.

When you pay $115 for an item, with $15 being GST, that $15 contributes directly to:

• Healthcare: Helping fund hospitals, subsidised medications, and emergency services
• Education: Supporting schools, universities, and educational resources
• Infrastructure: Building and maintaining roads, bridges, and public facilities
• Social Services: Providing support for those in need, including benefits and housing assistance
• Environmental Protection: Funding conservation efforts and environmental initiatives

By collecting a little from many transactions across the country, GST generates a stable and substantial revenue stream that helps fund these essential services without placing the entire tax burden on income or other forms of taxation.

Why Is GST Applied Broadly?

By applying GST to most goods and services, the tax system is kept simple and effective. Instead of having many different taxes for different products, GST provides a consistent way to collect revenue across the board. This makes it easier for businesses to comply and for the government to manage.

Before GST was introduced in 1986, New Zealand had a complex system of sales taxes that applied at different rates to different products. This created confusion, compliance challenges, and economic distortions. By replacing these with a single, broadly applied GST, the system became more transparent and efficient.

The broad application of GST also means that the tax burden is spread widely across the population. Everyone who consumes goods and services contributes, rather than placing the entire burden on income earners or property owners.

The Benefits of New Zealand's GST System

New Zealand's GST system is internationally recognised for its simplicity and effectiveness. Here are some of its key benefits:

Simplicity and Efficiency

With a single rate applied to most goods and services, New Zealand's GST is straightforward to understand and administer. This reduces compliance costs for businesses and administrative costs for the government. The simplicity of the system also makes it harder to avoid through loopholes, ensuring that the tax is collected as intended.

Stability

Because GST is collected on consumption rather than income or investment, it provides a relatively stable source of revenue even during economic downturns. People continue to purchase essential goods and services even when their income fluctuates, which means GST continues to generate revenue.

Visibility

Unlike some taxes that are hidden or complex, GST is relatively visible to consumers. This transparency helps citizens understand how they contribute to public funding and increases accountability for how that money is spent.

Economic Neutrality

By applying the same rate to most goods and services, GST minimises the distortion of consumer choices. It doesn't artificially make certain products more attractive than others through preferential tax treatment, allowing the market to function more efficiently.

How GST Compares to Other Tax Systems

Many countries use consumption taxes similar to GST, though they may be called Value Added Tax (VAT) or have different structures. New Zealand's system is often praised for its simplicity compared to systems in other countries that may have multiple rates or complex exemptions.

For example, in the United Kingdom, VAT has multiple rates: standard (20%), reduced (5%), and zero, with different goods and services falling into different categories. In Australia, GST is 10% but excludes some basic food items, healthcare, and education. New Zealand's uniform 15% rate with minimal exemptions is simpler to administer and understand.

This simplicity doesn't just make things easier├ö├ç├Âit also reduces the cost of collecting the tax. With fewer special cases to manage, both businesses and the government spend less on administration, leaving more resources for productive activities.

Addressing Concerns About GST

While GST has many benefits, it's important to acknowledge some concerns about this type of tax:

Regressivity

Because lower-income households spend a higher proportion of their income on consumption, GST can take a larger percentage of their income compared to higher-income households. To address this, New Zealand uses other mechanisms like income support payments, tax credits, and progressive income tax rates to balance the overall tax burden.

Impact on Small Businesses

Small businesses must manage GST compliance, which can be a administrative burden. However, New Zealand has streamlined the process as much as possible, and businesses below the $60,000 threshold can choose whether to register for GST based on what works best for their situation.

Price Transparency

Since GST is included in displayed prices in New Zealand, consumers don't always see how much tax they're paying. However, this approach makes shopping more straightforward since the displayed price is what you actually pay.

Conclusion

So, when you see GST on a receipt, think of it as a contribution to the services and infrastructure that benefit all New Zealanders. It's a small addition that makes a big difference in supporting the country.

GST plays a vital role in funding the public services we rely on every day, from healthcare and education to roads and emergency services. By spreading the tax burden across most goods and services, it provides a stable and efficient revenue source that helps keep New Zealand functioning well.

While no tax system is perfect, New Zealand's GST is designed to be as simple, efficient, and fair as possible. When you understand what GST funds and why it's structured the way it is, you can see it not just as a tax, but as an investment in the public services and infrastructure that make New Zealand a great place to live.