Labor MP requests Aussie tech tax investigation

Brenton Currie
Friday, 16 September 2011 10:06

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

In a speech on a report about the potential of the National Broadband Network (NBN), Labor MP Ed Husic has hit out at overseas technology firms offering products for much higher prices in Australia, saying it's hampering Australian businesses ability to compete on the world stage.

Husic calls for action on tech tax (Image Credit: williamnyk/Flickr - http://bit.ly/qNvdtA)

And in yet another sign that Husic isn't backing down on the issue, this morning he confirmed via Twitter that he has now made a request to David Bradbury, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, asking for a formal investigation into the Australian price hikes made by some companies.

Previously Husic has said he would welcome an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) into the issue, but so far no formal moves have been made about such an investigation.

Since the start of this year, Husic has been attempting to get answers from technology giants including Apple about why they feel it's appropriate to rise prices significantly above those found in America '” leading to the so-called tech tax '” for Australians.

'I've been vocal about the price differentials that exist for Australian consumers of hardware and software - and how they have been seriously disadvantaged compared to consumers in the US and UK, who get access to these products sometimes at 80 per cent less cost,' Husic said in a speech yesterday to the Infrastructure and Communications Committee.

Husic pointed to a recent study commissioned by the Australian subsidiary of search giant Google that found households are gaining up to $53 billion in benefits by using services over the Internet such as online banking and paying bills.