Australian Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) and private yacht owners

 

The TRS programme is designed to offer international travellers (including Australians) leaving Australia to claim a GST refund (10%) on goods purchased in Australia which are then taken out of the country.

Ordinarily designed for travellers on commercial aviation or vessels, visitors to Australia may have noticed TRS kiosks in the departure terminal of international airports or cruise ship terminals.

However, it is possible for private yacht owners to access the TRS programme when they depart Australia onboard their own vessel to take advantage of the GST refund.

This scheme can apply to many categories of yacht owner, including those in Australia under a control permit, vessels undergoing refit work, new build vessels preparing to depart Australia, or Australian owned vessels which are leaving Australian waters.

If you are a yacht owner looking to apply under the TRS, there are a number of requirements needed for an application to be successful. Some of these include:

  • Spending at least AUD $300 (incl. GST) in total from a supplier with the same Australian Business Number (ABN)

  • The goods must be purchased within 60 days of the intended departure

  • Holding a valid invoice from the supplier of the goods, clearly and accurately describing the goods, issued in the name of the passport holder who is departing Australia (i.e. not in the name of a company in the case of a corporate yacht owner)

  • Having the goods on your person in a manner that can be carried out of Australia with you (i.e. onboard the vessel rather than being shipped separately)

  • Contacting the relevant departure authorities in advance of the departure to arrange for an inspection of the goods against invoices to facilitate the refund.

In the case of Australian citizens and residents, it is possible to employ the TRS where it can be demonstrated the goods were purchased for the purpose of taking outside of Australia, and are intended to remain outside of Australia post departure.

It is important to note that Australian Border Force has a wide discretion to reject TRS applications, but by taking appropriate steps yacht owners can increase their chances of successfully receiving a GST refund.

Dawson and Associates are experts in Australian vessel and yacht requirements and have assisted many Australian clients in navigating vessel structuring, import, and TRS matters. We work with a network of Australian customs experts who can help facilitate the documentation and maximise your prospects of a successful application.

If you are looking about bringing a vessel into Australia, or currently have a yacht in Australia and are planning to depart for international waters, and want to take advantage of the TRS, please contact Peter Dawson on +64 27 229 9624 peter@maritimelaw.co.nz or Troy Stade on +64 27 368 6730 troy@maritimelaw.co.nz.

 
Marine regulation, Vessel sale & purchaseNick Ippolito