October 31, 2014
The RACQ has joined motoring clubs throughout Australia to campaign against the Federal Government’s fuel excise rise from November 10.
The RACQ has called on its 1.2 million members to also join the fight and make it clear to their local Members of Parliament that the increase would not be tolerated.
The Federal Government has bypassed the Senate by adjusting regulations, rather than legislation, to collect an extra 0.5c a litre fuel excise.
Parliament will be given 12 months to validate the increased tax. If it doesn’t, the tax collected will have to be refunded … to oil companies, not motorists.
The reintroduction of biannual fuel exercise indexation will increase government revenue from fuel from $280 million in 2014-15 to $1.85 billion in 2017-18 according to a Budget Review
RACQ spokesperson Renee Smith said motorists needed to band together to oppose the tax.
“Send a message through your local MPs, take to social media and join the fight against this betrayal by the Abbott Government,” Ms Smith said.
“For the government to say this increase will be a minor inconvenience for motorists, shows a lack of understanding.
“Fuel is a major cost of living burden for Aussie families, next to groceries it’s one of our biggest weekly bills.
“Motorists have been treated like a cash cow by governments for far too long.”
Ms Smith said the Federal Government’s “sneaky behaviour” could not be tolerated.
“Not only are we unhappy about the increase, we’re angry about how the government has gone about it,” she said.
“It’s been a sneaky back door move, raising a tax which doesn’t have either popular or parliamentary support.”
Ms Smith said the RACQ would use social and traditional media in coming weeks as part of a push to scrap the tax increase.
