Qld Government axe Classic Cars/Formals

[Jastel]

I doubt very much that teaching piano might kill someone, that is the difference, insurance and everyone wanting a payout if the worst happens.
Also you cannot advertise passenger transport without a license to do it, nothing to do with hobbies, it is a law in Qld.
The reason for high charges for businesses and licenses etc is everyone wants someone to help them and pay them out when the @@@@ hits the fan.

[monte.b]

I did a lot of formals on the gold coast for family and friends in my hot rod ,only used to pick them up in the grounds or up the road a bit ,never had a problem with it and never charged anything for it ,the car was on full street rod rego ,i was parked up one day waiting for the kids to turn up and a wedding party asked if they could sit in the car and have pics taken ,never seen them before in my life but was just too happy to let the do their thing ,they even sent me some pics too .the Limo drivers are the ones behind the push to stop all this but they just cant cope with the amount of kids that need a car so i just cant see a problem with helping out the kids and its a real buzz to get your car there too

[Jastel]

All ok so long as you didn't get paid or advertise or act like a business.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by monte.b

I did a lot of formals on the gold coast for family and friends in my hot rod ,only used to pick them up in the grounds or up the road a bit ,never had a problem with it and never charged anything for it ,the car was on full street rod rego ,i was parked up one day waiting for the kids to turn up and a wedding party asked if they could sit in the car and have pics taken ,never seen them before in my life but was just too happy to let the do their thing ,they even sent me some pics too .the Limo drivers are the ones behind the push to stop all this but they just cant cope with the amount of kids that need a car so i just cant see a problem with helping out the kids and its a real buzz to get your car there too

If you are not charging any costs & doing favour for family & friends I do not see any problem at all, it only changes when money passes hands as the Government/law see it as an income.

[Lotte]

Originally Posted by trublu

When is a Hobby not a hobby is the real question? You will not escape the Tax man when income is involved.

OBTW I could not find any reference to the 5K income limit you mentioned for hobbies, would appreciate a link to it!

When I find it I'll link it, it's from the old site (which was much easier to navigate mind) and this is when I was looking at teaching, so it's possible they've made it a bit more vague. But like I said, I'm no tax expert :3

However, this fairly well defines it. And to be honest, anyone that thinks just because you have a facebook page (you can advertise services and goods that aren't for business purposes you know), charge a little for fuel (and why the hell not?) and cleaning (note, nobody has said how much this guy is earning,; and he's stated that he asks for a bit of cash to cover costs - much like the case study in this here publication; but we all could be wrong and he could be rolling in hundred dorrar bills as we speak), and do a few of these a year equates to an actual commercial business purpose (the first point of "am I running a business"), would have to have NEVER helped a friend move/driven a group somewhere/etc and not received a bit of cash to cover fuel or whatever; or else be forever branded a hypocrite.
http://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Start...mall-business/ (clicky the top link on the page)

This (old source as well I know) is also worth a read, as they summarise exactly why my accountant laughed at me when I asked if I needed to tell them about my piano teaching: http://www.smh.com.au/small-business...007-2v48s.html
Quite simply, how is this different to a friend of a friend helping a mate move cuz they have a ute and are a nice guy, and get spotted $50 and pizza afterwards for their stunning good will? Quite simply, until he's doing it every damn weekend (unlikely), and charging a few hundy, it's not.

[2011G6E]

You should see some of the narky online comments on news sites about this subject!

They usually range from "about time they stopped this rubbish", to "stuck up rich kids wanting to show off when they arrive" and "why can't they just get dropped off by their parents in a normal car they're just show-offs".

No, they're not. Our son turned up to the end of year 12 formal in Blackwater in his dates EK Holden (purple and white, big alloys, beautiful car), and other kids turned up in everything from "normal" cars, to other classics, to a fire engine, to mine vehicles, to motorbikes and even one guy in a shopping trolley.

It's a one-off thing...why the hell not let the kids do something a bit special? No one was laughing at the kids whose parents drove them up in family cars, there certainly wasn't any "elitism" about it. Same with our other two kids when they graduated school. Some people really need to get a life.

[kaniSS]

Qld Government can get stuffed. How would they know money changed hands anyway.

ps: I rocked up to my formal in my uncles SLR-5000, that gave everyone a irregular heartbeat.

[69ISH]

I found this in a link form a post above


"What evidence might you have to show that your activity is a business?
These are examples of questions that we may consider in determining if your activity constitutes a business:
Do you have a business plan?
Do you use specialised knowledge or skills?
Have you had prior experience in this area?
How much capital have you invested in the activity?
Have you done market research?
How much time do you spend on the activity?
Is the activity a part-time side-line or your main income earning activity?
Do you give quotes and supply invoices?
Do you advertise? "
Link to ATO at the bottom of this page (The top section is beyond me)
http://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Start...-in-business-/

I have done a few weddings and formals for friends and friends of friends in my Cougar, Grand Torino and both my Mustangs yet I do not advertise and I do not go looking to do formals or weddings but when I am approached I don't normally say No unless I can't do it and I do not do it to make any money but I do ask for a bottle of Bundy and a tank of fuel some have gifted me a little extra.
The only answer I would answer yes to is do I have prior experience in this area and that is only because I have done more than one.

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by kaniSS

Qld Government can get stuffed. How would they know money changed hands anyway. .

Im pretty sure when it goes wrong and the bride is in hospital with a broken nose that she will inform the insurance people and authorities that she or the groom had paid for the service but the dick couldnt drive and thats why she missed her wedding and is laid up in hospital ****ed at the world and looking for retribution.

JP

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by DJR David

For sure, one would hope you are right. But god forbid if there had been an accident. The insurance company just has to prove the owner of the vehicle was using it for non-private use, and all insurance is null and void......

I was taking some friends kids out for a drive at the time of the accident in my (insert car here) as they wanted to get to "X" destination, their parents couldn't do it at the time and asked me for a favor. I needed to go to the shops down there anyway at the time to pick up some more toilet paper.

My other car had a flat tyre at the time and my (insert car here) was the only vehicle I could have used.

[lilmattie]

I can sort of understand where they're coming from. They want the guys that operate their cars as a business to pay for it like other operators and for them to have insurance etc.

However, if they're going after the guys that do it at their own cost - that's unacceptable. I think that article is sensationalism though and won't affect those that do it for free or get taken out to dinner another night or something. The way I read it - the guy got caught for running his cars as a business... same with the rest of them in the group (without knowing what they're were offering for their services, as I didn't see the facebook group).

I've used my two in a few formals now. I'll only do it for people I know well, and I've never once asked for money or compensation. I do it for my own and their enjoyment. The look on all the kids faces when you pull up to let them out is priceless.

[Revolver]

So,

If I take a family friend or bunch of mates somewhere, and want to throw in some fuel money, does that immediately make my insurance null and void, and I must register my vehicle as a Taxi, obtain a Taxi licence, obtain an ABN, register a business, and report this fuel money value to the tax office, even if I am not making a profit off it?

Maybe register as a loss. Get $50 bucks off my tax bill I suppose.

Anyone here, ANYONE, would do this for one or two trips a year?

Yeah. I rather doubt it.

[GASWAGON]

Police state! Check out the good old U.S of A this **** is happening EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JG65TE]

yeah, lets all go get a 3 grand taxi licence or whatever they want us to get to do a mates kids wedding/formal once a year. I don't go out looking for events to try n hire my car out but if someone needs one and I feel like doing it then ............. If I spent the money on the licence then I would actively hunt for work and I reckon I could pull more work than a clapped out stretch limo with wavy panels (you've seen em) . Then they can moan about us stealing all their work.

[noosacuda]

Doing 1 or 2 a year for $100 to cover fuel, time off work etc is fair,i've heard of some blokes charging upwards of $500 for the same thing, now that IS worth jumping up and down over!

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by JG65TE

yeah, lets all go get a 3 grand taxi licence

Close, but no cigar.

Taxi licences, in Bris, start at about $300,000

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by JG65TE

yeah, lets all go get a 3 grand taxi licence or whatever they want us to get to do a mates kids wedding/formal once a year. I don't go out looking for events to try n hire my car out but if someone needs one and I feel like doing it then ............. If I spent the money on the licence then I would actively hunt for work and I reckon I could pull more work than a clapped out stretch limo with wavy panels (you've seen em) . Then they can moan about us stealing all their work.

Yeah I am the same. I don't go looking for events either. It seems to be word of mouth most times. Being self employed I have to try and arrange my arvo to get home early , clean the car and meet the kids at about 4.30pm. I haven't let anyone down yet, and hope not to..............

[Jastel]

The OP case has nothing to do with the ATO, though if it is deemed a business then they would be interested.

It is the Department of Transport and Main Roads who regulate public transport services in Qld, they are responsible for regulating and enforcing public transport regulations. They are doing what they are supposed to.

Helping a mate move or car pooling type things don't come under the public transport part of the acts.

[Tote]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

Im pretty sure when it goes wrong and the bride is in hospital with a broken nose that she will inform the insurance people and authorities that she or the groom had paid for the service but the dick couldnt drive and thats why she missed her wedding and is laid up in hospital ****ed at the world and looking for retribution.

JP

So the smart operator asks for a small donation after the fact and does not advertise. Problem easily solved, no one paid for anything. or perhaps a better solution is not to live in Queensland, you are now crossing the border please turn your clock back to the 1950s....

[monte.b]

Originally Posted by Tote

So the smart operator asks for a small donation after the fact and does not advertise. Problem easily solved, no one paid for anything. or perhaps a better solution is not to live in Queensland, you are now crossing the border please turn your clock back to the 1950s....

If its so bad up here how come so many southerners come up here to live ,or is that our problem ,maybe thats why we are so backward ,im getting real sick of this Queensland bashing on this forum ,if you dont want us here just ban us ffs give it a rest

[jpd80]

This has all the hallmarks of licensed and approved limo services dobbing in others who are not registered.
I wonder if the fear of warning off a few privateers in classic cars will result in year 12s now booking a Limo...

It wouldn't be the first time that Qld Transport has been pointed in the "right direction" by someone with an axe to grind...

[pottery beige]

old mate on bookface wasnt doing himself any favours

cos yes he was running it as a business

[Bearman]

Originally Posted by monte.b

If its so bad up here how come so many southerners come up here to live ,or is that our problem ,maybe thats why we are so backward ,im getting real sick of this Queensland bashing on this forum ,if you dont want us here just ban us ffs give it a rest

I think the problem is that all the nanny-state-ism that's going on in Qld at the moment is making all the expat Vic's think they're back home!!

It seems no-one can do anything without someone waving the finger of disapproval in their face.

The authorities going after classic car owners doing the odd thing for family and friends? Surely there's bigger fish to fry?

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

Not necessarily. Theres a bit more to this then people think.

There are guys out there that do this as a business and pay high insurance and registration costs. There are other guys that are trying to subsidize the costs of owning a classic car by doing cashies. Not all of them will be doing it regularly but some of them are running a business, without the correct registration or insurances.

I think its fair enough.

Mum will soon need to get a Taxi Plate to drop kids off at school a couple of days a week.......as I flick her a 50 to cover the fuel and to grab a cuppa.

[xxx000]

Originally Posted by Bearman

I think the problem is that all the nanny-state-ism that's going on in Qld at the moment is making all the expat Vic's think they're back home!!

It seems no-one can do anything without someone waving the finger of disapproval in their face.

The authorities going after classic car owners doing the odd thing for family and friends? Surely there's bigger fish to fry?

ah 'nanny state', the sweeping statement and over-used term inspired by News Ltd to describe something you're not happy about that's govt related

generally used in conjunction with the wave of a hand to dismiss any rational discussion

[Bearman]

Actually it's more a reaction to feeling stifled by the extreme over regulation by government and regulatory authorities in daily life.

[mcnews]

Nanny state crap running riot.... And some people on here seem to be right behind the nanny state mentality too it seems....

[xwgs302]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Close, but no cigar.

Taxi licences, in Bris, start at about $300,000

Last i heard, one sold close to half a mil with a car and equipment.

It is all about insurance and the cost is high.
I payed rego for my taxi on December... $3634.95
The insurance cost inside that price comes to... $3459.60 Bear in mind, that is payment for 6 months registration, not a year.
Getting accreditation is another hurdle where they scrutinize you to the max.
If you have a record, chances are slim of getting accred.

[zoomie]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

these are killer

http://www.prostreetweddings.com/

One of the premiers in that group is a mate of mine. They put on a very professional service.

[Streets]

I don't see how this is "nanny state" at all

this is only about the people who are using their cars like a business without commercial vehicle registration, licensing and insurance

you can still drive your nephew to the formal or the bride to the wedding but if you start selling rides in your car to the public in an organised capacity with money changing hands then you are going to need to do it properly

if your kid or your bridal party used one of these dodgy guys for transport and they wrapped their car around a tree you'd be on here kicking up a big stink because they only had private vehicle insurance and the insurer is not obligated to pay out and you'd be wondering loudly why TMR don't crack down on dodgy shysters