Goods Tariff ”A Mistake”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32072, 21 August 1969, Page 1

Goods Tariff ”A Mistake”

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, August 20.

Confusion over a 35 per cent tariff put on New Zealand electrical goods exported to Australia appeared to have been die result of an oversight by Australian officials, the Australian Trade Commissioner, in Auckland (Mr K. J. Cosgrave) said today.

Mr Cosgrave was commenting on a report from Christchurch that a 35 per cent duty on electrical equipment from Canterbury Engineering, Ltd, had resulted from a boclassification by the Australian Tariff Board. In 1967-1968, said Mr Cosgrave, electrical equipment in the 0 to 38 kilovolts range, worth $13,000, had been exported from New Zealand to Australia. These goods were subject to duty of 35 per cent In the year ended June, 1969, New Zealand had exported $41,000 worth of these goods, he said. In the same year electrical equipment of a voltage above 38 kilovolts, and worth $24,000, had been exported. The items above 38 kilovolts were duty free. In March this year, the Australian Tariff Board had increased the range of electrical goods subject to 35 per cent duty from 0 to 38 kilovolts to 0 to 200 kilovolts.

“Therefore, from July this year, the 35 per cent duty applied to these goods from 0 to 200 kilovolts,” Mr Cosgrave said. - In 1967-1968 there was no trade from New Zealand to Australia of electrical goods of voltage above 38 kilovolts and it had apparently been assumed in Australia that there was no similar trade in 19681969.

The new duty had been applied to goods above 38 kilovolts without New Zealand exporters being told of it “This is a mistake on our part,” he said, "and this afternoon we consulted with the New Zealand Government. This will be sorted out within a week and a further statement will be made then.”