Coalition puts stop sign in front of Labor’s new fuel tax
14th May, 2008
The Coalition tonight moved to stop Labor from imposing a new fuel tax – one that would drive up family grocery bills around Australia.“Kevin Rudd came to power saying his major economic task was fighting inflation, but he is relentlessly feeding it instead with a raft of new taxes,” said the Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Transport Minister, Warren Truss.
“In February, Labor announced it was increasing truck and bus registration charges, in some cases by more than 200 percent. It also decided to force up diesel fuel excise for 350,000 heavy vehicles from 19.6 to 21 cents per litre from 1 January 2009.
“On top of this, that diesel fuel excise would be indexed every year at rates above the cost of inflation – the first time fuel has been indexed since the Coalition abolished it in 2001.
“The Coalition has already blocked Labor’s proposed increased registration charges in the Senate. Today it blocked the Government’s regulation to drive up diesel fuel prices.
“Kevin Rudd has said repeatedly that his first economic priority is to fight inflation. Well, if he won’t do it, we will have to do the job for him.
“Transport Minister Anthony Albanese has already admitted that these poorly targeted measures will increase grocery bills by $17 for every family in the country.
“That in itself might not sound like much. But on top of Labor’s Budget tax hikes on premixed drinks, cars, aviation and attacks on private health insurance, Labor is contributing significantly to higher inflation and making the Reserve Bank’s job all the harder.
“Labor was so embarrassed about trying to introduce this new fuel tax after claiming all week to be the motorist’s friend that the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, Stephen Conroy, incorporated his comments rather than stand up to defend this new tax,” Mr Truss said.
