一步一个脚印

Briefing

A Mandarin-speaking customer has come into the office of an investment broker to make some enquiries about investment options.

Listen to Dialogue

Mandarin-English Dialogue #31 – Investment Enquiry

Transcript and reference translation

Customer: 您好 。非常感谢你这么短时间就过来见我。我过来是想聊一聊投资的事情。首先我想知道自住房需要付资产增值税吗？[Hello. Thank you for coming to see me at such short notice. I have some investment enquiries to discuss with you. Firstly, I’d like to know if I need to pay capital gains tax on a property I’m buying to live in myself?]

Investment Broker: No, you don’t, and thank you for coming in today. Could you tell me what kind of plans do you have for your investment? [不需要，谢谢您今天过来。您可以告诉我你对投资是怎么打算的？]

Customer: 那就好。我打算买些投资房，我听说买公寓的楼花是不用付印花税的，对吧？[That’s good. I’m planning to buy some investment properties. I heard that you don’t have to pay stamp duty for buying apartments off-the-plan, is that right?]

Investment Broker: Yes, you’re perfectly right. You may be eligible for a First Home Owner Grant since this is your first time buying a house. When your property is settled, you can hand it over to real estate agents to manage. They will give you a set return of investment. [是的，您说得很对。你可能有资格申请首次置业补助，因为您是第一次买房 。买好之后可以交给中介管理。他们会给您固定的投资回报。]

Customer: 那么，投资回报一般是多少呢，够我还房贷吗？[How much return can I get? Would that be enough for me to pay my mortgage?]

Investment Broker: That should be enough. ROI varies from 4% to 6%. The good thing is, the depreciation of your property and the furniture you buy can be used to offset the tax. This is known as negative gearing. [差不多吧，回报从4-6%不等。好处就是，您买的家具和房子的贬值可以起到抵税的作用，也就是所说的负扣税。]

Customer: 那太好了。我也在担心交税的问题，和每个季度要填的商业活动报表，真是复杂啊。[Great. I am also concerned about paying tax, and the Business Activity Statement that I have to fill in each quarter. It seems really complicated.]

Investment Broker: You’re right. ATO stipulates that if the turnover of a business is over $76,000, you’re advised to register for GST and lodge your BAS every 3 months. [是的，税务局规定，如果一个生意的营业额超过76000澳元的话，那么就建议您注册商品服务税和每三个月递交一个商业活动报表。]

Customer: 嗯，我记住了。如果净收入10万以上的话，成立家庭信托账户比较有用，对吧？[Yeah, I remember that. If the gross is over 100,000, a family trust would be useful, is that right?]

Investment Broker: Ah, yes. You can also use your ABN for all of these. However, if you want to register a formal company, then you will have to apply for an ACN from ASIC – I mean, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. [嗯，是的。你也可以用你的ABN做所有这些事情 。如果要注册公司的话，那你就得向ASIC－也就是澳大利亚证券投资委员会－申请ACN啦。]

Customer: 好的，我想这些我都明白。商会的人建议我可以考虑买农场、屠宰场或葡萄酒厂，你觉得我该选哪一个？[OK, I think I understand everything you talked about. Someone in the Chamber of Commerce recommended that I consider buying a farm, abattoir or winery. Which do you think I should choose?]

Investment Broker: Well I think a winery would probably be a good choice. The market is growing exponentially.  [葡萄酒厂可能是个不错的选择。这个市场增长迅猛啊。]

Customer: 嗯，有道理，我也觉得葡萄酒厂是个更好的选择，智者所见略同啊。最后问一个问题，我可以出口动物内脏去中国吗？我在这一行的关系不错。[Yeah, that makes sense. I was also thinking a winery would be a better option. Great minds think alike! I have one more question I’d like to ask. Would I be able to export offal to China? I have pretty good connections in this industry.]

Investment Broker: Unfortunately no. What I know is that offal can be exported to Hong Kong but not mainland China. That’s probably because Australia and China have not signed a Free Trade Agreement. [很不幸还不行，我知道可以出口去香港那边，但还去不了中国大陆。因为是因为澳大利亚和中国还没有签署自由贸易协定的原因吧。]

Customer: 真希望这个FTA可以早点签好，我们做生意就方便多了！[I really hope this FTA can be signed – the sooner the better. It’ll make doing business a lot easier!]