Trucking and Bus Industry taxes rise

Sophie Mirabella, the Federal Member for Indi, has voted against a federal, state and territory government agreement to raise taxes on the trucking and bus industry, to increase charges on registration and fuel. The vote took place today in the House of Representatives following debate on the Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill 2008.

“This tax slug on the truck and bus industries will mean an extra 1.37 cents on the cost of fuel and an increase in registration charges for 69% of the country’s heavy vehicles,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“We have a very strong trucking and bus industry throughout the Border and north-east. Local transport operators will feel the impact of Labor’s price rises on their everyday operations, which in turn will be a burden imposed on local consumers through higher prices for food and groceries.”

“When in government, I chaired the Government Backbench Committee on Transport, Regional Services and Local Government and we forcefully opposed any increases in the taxes on the trucking and bus industry. Back in 2006, my committee colleagues, including the Minister for Transport at the time, Warren Truss, took the view that the proposed National Transport Commission charges would have resulted in an unjustified level of over-recovery from the heavy vehicle industry,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“For some years now, it has been the position of the Coalition to hold off further price rises in heavy vehicle registration charges. In fact, this tax rise that was endorsed by Labor federal, state and territory governments was almost identical to the one that was blocked by the Coalition Government in 2006.”

“This industry, which makes a significant contribution to the Australian economy, is already under pressure from higher fuel prices. I have long argued that our transport industries had endured enough through these times of high petrol prices and ongoing fuel demand,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“This large increase in road user charges in the current climate will make things very difficult for the industry. Labor claimed they would put downward pressure on grocery prices, yet just after its first 100 days in government, it has delivered an increase in costs for consumers.”

“The Labor Party has not yet explained what impact these price rises will have on ‘working families’ in the north-east. Already, local families are feeling the pinch at the supermarket check-out. Labor’s decision to raise the cost of transport will have certain flow-on effects in inflating the cost of groceries,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.