Katter sells out motorists to support Labor’s latest tax grab
15th June, 2011
INDEPENDENT Member for Kennedy Bob Katter betrayed his electorate overnight to vote for a new tax on LPG, allowing the Gillard government to slap an extra 12.5 cents per litre cost (plus GST) on motorists.“Mr Katter’s vote proved decisive in getting this new tax over the line, handing the government a majority of just one,” Leader of The Nationals Warren Truss said today.
“The new tax is counter-productive to the Gillard clean fuel future rhetoric, and penalises people who are proactive in curbing CO2 emissions from vehicles.
“The tax leap – from zero to 12.5 centres per litre over five years – is simply another tax grab. The Prime Minister and Mr Katter are partners in crime, robbing motorists and making life even harder for families, small business and, especially, taxi drivers.
“Nationally, around 700,000 motorists have opted for LPG as a cleaner, environmentally-friendly fuel only to now be rounded up as the Gillard-Greens-Independents latest cash cows.
“This tax will have knock-on effects for consumers. Small businesses operating LPG vehicles will pass costs on to customers, delivery charges will go up and taxi drivers will have to charge higher fares.
“Families who thought they were doing the right thing in going with gas will pay more for every trip to work, to drop off and pick up the kids from school, do the shopping and so on.
“It is further evidence that this marriage of convenience between Labor, the Greens and a smattering of Independents has betrayed families and small business.
“LPG drivers know very well that the government lured them into taking up gas, providing incentives to make the switch, only to now be slapped with this new regressive tax. Coalition and Labor governments provided some $550 million in subsidies to convert to gas – 283,000 conversions – now they are going to be taxed for doing the right thing!
“Meanwhile, the fledgling LPG industry is reeling and the $300 million LPG conversion sector, and its 2,500 employees, is effectively out-of-business.
“Car makers Ford and Holden will be bewildered, having invested heavily in a scheduled 2011 launch of new technology LPG vehicles to the market. That market is now significantly less attractive to car buyers, and is eroding before their very eyes.”
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