Tax rebate set to boost iPad sales even further

By Paul Hayes

SYDNEY, NSW: The decision for many Australian parents about whether to invest in an Apple iPad may be much easier following the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) ruling that the new device is eligible for a 50 per cent education rebate.

“An Education Tax Refund may be claimed in relation to an ‘eligible education expense’,” an ATO spokesperson told Current.com.au

“We accept that the costs of an iPad can be an eligible education expense.”

This essentially means that the ATO considers the iPad, as well as equivalent e-readers and tablets, to be equivalent to a laptop and thus suitable for the education rebate.

With massive local demand resulting in Australian retailers struggling to keep up stock levels since the iPad’s release on 28 May, the new rebate decision will likely boost sales even higher.

According to the ATO, tax payers can claim up to $375 for primary school students and $750 for secondary students.

The 16-gigabyte Wi-Fi iPad is available for RRP $629, while the 64-gigabyte 3G model comes in at RRP $1049.