'Netflix tax' a fig leaf: Labor

Draft laws to introduce the so called Netflix tax have passed the lower house.

Draft laws for a so-called "Netflix tax" are a fig leaf to hide the government's lack of real tax policy, parliament has been told.

Legislation to apply the GST to digital products and other imported services cleared the lower house on Thursday, however it remains unclear has bipartisan support to pass the Senate.

The government says the changes fix an anomaly created when the GST was introduced in 2000, before the growth of online services was understood.

Labor MP Ed Husic said the measure was a fig leaf to hide the government's lack of real action on multinational tax reform.

All it was doing was hitting 15-year-olds who were downloading music with the GST.

It's a "joke", Mr Husic said.

Liberal MP Melissa Price said many products would now pay their fair share of tax.

Labor is reserving its position on the bill until it's been examined by a Senate committee.


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Source: AAP



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