Moncrieff Media

First it was Anna’s 9c petrol slug - now comes Kevin with a 10c hit for the Gold Coast

21 August 2009

Gold Coast motorists face an extra 10c a litre for petrol, if the Rudd Government fails to rule out a sharp increase in fuel excise, says local MP Steve Ciobo.

A sharp hike in the fuel excise proposed to the Henry Tax Review would be the second hit for Gold Coast drivers after the recent move by the State Labor Government to remove the state’s 9c a litre subsidy in June.

“First Premier Anna Bligh hits Queensland drivers with a 9c petrol price hike. Now the Rudd Labor Government is considering following suit with a 10c a litre price shock,” Mr Ciobo said.

“This is clearly all about filling Treasury coffers for a government scrambling to pay off its giant cash splashes and offsetting a $315 billion debt.”

“This will hit the Gold Coast particularly hard. It’s all very well in cities with large public transport networks, but due to State Government dallying over the rapid transit system, the Coast still suffers from a sad lack of public transport.”

“In contrast to big-city dwellers, Gold Coasters are necessarily forced to drive each day to go to work, take their kids to school or go to the doctor. So Coasters are already paying more through the existing fuel excise of 38c a litre.”

Labor has been on the record pushing for a traffic-congestion charge, and now Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has alluded to increased fuel excises as a ‘pre-condition for other, more important, land transport reforms’.

“Not only is this Labor Government proposing major increases in fuel costs through its carbon pollution reduction scheme taxes, but considering even more taxes on fuel.”

Mr Ciobo said extra fuel costs always flow through to the increased cost of consumer items.

The Coalition recognised this in 2001 when it put a freeze on fuel excise – a step which today saves motorists about 8 cents on every litre.

“The Government must immediately rule out these new tax slugs on every Australian,” Mr Ciobo said.