Back to school + GST

It's back to school time again. The kids have shot up out of their 
uniforms, their feet are bursting out of their shoes. The old lunch boxes 
have packed it in. They are insisting on new drink bottles, and then there 
are all the pens, pencils and other odds and ends. It is the same every 
year. Well, almost, except this year there is the GST.

"We're broke", one parent of two primary school children, told The 
Guardian. Everything's gone up in price.

"They both needed new school shoes and new runners for sport. That came to 
$293!

"Then we had to fork out another $50 or so on other things they need — new 
lunchboxes, stationery, pens and pencils, and so on."

"The books are $72. The uniforms cost another hundred — that includes 
GST."

"The school fees will be $56 (it is a state school) — but I don't think 
there is any GST on them."

"All up the GST has directly added around $50 to our costs. But I wouldn't 
be surprised if some of the price rises were also due to the GST. 
Everything seemed so much more expensive than last year.

"Last year books, uniforms and school shoes were untaxed. So much for 
education being GST-free.

"The GST has left us way out of pocket. Our tax cut got swallowed when the 
mortgage went up with higher interest rates.

"We've had to find ways of cutting down."