WANTED: Views from the public on the changes to the Goods and Services Tax Bill.

The draft GST (Amendment) Bill incorporates the Budget 2009 tax changes announced earlier this year.

Among the changes: Zero-rating treatment will be extended to all aircrafts used wholly for international travel as well as the sale and lease of aircraft parts forming part of a qualifying aircraft. This is to ease the GST compliance costs for the maintenance, repair and overhaul industry here.

Also, GST will be suspended on goods, including wine, that are temporarily removed from Zero-GST or Licensed warehouses for auctions and exhibitions, even if the goods are sold during the auction or exhibition, provided that they are returned to the warehouses subsequently.

This is to encourage the growth of the auction and exhibition industry, as well as specialised storage facilities.

Other changes include refinements to existing tax policies and administration resulting from on-going reviews of the tax system.

Taxpayers will be required to state their grounds of objection when applying for a review or revision of a decision made by the Comptroller of GST. This is in line with requirements under Income Tax Act and Property Tax Act, and will facilitate the Comptroller's expeditious review of taxpayers' applications.

The public will be able to contact the Ministry of Finance for more thorough explanations during the public consultations from Wednesday till June 24.

They can do so by accessing consultation documents which also includes some explanation on the Bill via online portals www.mof.gov.sg or www.reach.gov.sg.

Respondents may also write to the ministry directly via e-mail, fax or post.