Julia Gillard has stressed that she will not be bowing to pressure from retailers in their push for the government to lift GST exemption, on goods under one thousand dollars bought from foreign online stores.
'I would be very reluctant to see Australians who are facing cost of living pressures not be able to access shopping on the internet in the way that they access it now.'
She reiterated, however, that it was a matter for the Productivity Commission to investigate.
The GST, the PM stressed, is not on the government's agenda - 'there's no way in the world' the government will be revisiting questions on the GST, she said. Harvey Norman boss Gerry Harvey has fronted the campaign to a host of criticism, but support from retail groups.
