By IRENE CHAPPLE
From July importers will cover a $15 million bill for border-control paperwork, a cost currently covered by the taxpayer.
Acting Customs Minister Jim Anderton, who announced the change in Parliament yesterday, said clearance services for imported goods currently cost the Customs Service $21 million a year.
"Some of that component
is for public services such as drug detection. The remainder is a subsidy for having goods cleared in a fast, straightforward and efficient way."
The $15 million will be recovered by a $18 charge to importers with declarations over $1000. The charge will apply to each import order, whether private or business.
Mr Anderton said the reduction of the subsidy would put everyone on a level playing field.
The move has been denounced by the Importers Institute as nonsensical.
Institute secretary Daniel Silva said border control was a genuine use of taxes.
If an importer paid it, the cost would be passed on to the consumer, he said.
"It is just additional revenue for the Government. It is a new tax."
The Customs and Excise Act 1996 will be amended to incorporate the change.