New Square Rate Option for Claiming Use of Home Claim Expense for 2018

A new method will be available for the 2017-18 and later income years to calculate the expenses you can claim for using your home as an office. This method will use rates that Inland Revenue will determine based on the average cost of utilities per square metre of housing, but excluding mortgage interest, rates and rent.
You will be able to claim a portion of the mortgage interest, rates and rental costs that you paid during the year based on the percentage of floor area being used for business purposes.
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The square metre rate for the 2017 - 2018 income year is $41.10 per square metre.
You still need to give me your annual mortgage interest /rent but you don’t need to give me information on your utilities.

The Government has launched proposals for offshore suppliers of low-value goods to New Zealand consumers to collect and return GST on those goods. The Government is to close a loophole that gives offshore companies an advantage by not requiring them to collect GST on all goods sold to local consumers.

From 1 October 2019:
Offshore suppliers would be required to register, collect, and return New Zealand GST on goods valued at or below $400 supplied to New Zealand consumers.
 
The rules would apply when the good is outside New Zealand at the time of supply and is delivered to a New Zealand address.

Offshore suppliers would be required to register when their total supplies of goods and services to New Zealand exceed $60,000 in a 12-month period. In certain circumstances, marketplaces and re-deliverers may also be required to register.
Tariffs and border cost recovery charges would be removed from goods valued at or below $400.
 
The current processes for collecting GST and other duty at the border by Customs will continue to apply for goods valued over $400.
The current border processes for managing risks in relation to imported goods, including biosecurity assessment, will remain in place.

GST will be charged at the point of sale when the value of the goods is $400 or less. In some cases consumers will pay more for their goods but in some cases goods will be cheaper because of the removal of Customs tariffs, border security fees and biosecurity cost recovery charges. There is no change to the tax treatment of goods valued above $400, where the current process for collecting GST and tariff duty at the border will continue.