Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to clarify my position regarding fuel excise supplied by the federal government. An article was recently published in the Naracoorte Herald on 25 October 2023 titled 'Calls to remove fuel tax'. The article claims that I called for the complete removal of the fuel excise. I wish to clarify that I have never suggested that the fuel excise should be abolished. The fuel excise was introduced in 1901 as a tax on motorists to fund road construction and maintenance. It remains an important and direct way to raise revenue to help pay for land transport infrastructure.

In fact, I want to see more of the excise raised invested for the very purpose for which it is raised. The Albanese government is choosing not to temporarily reduce the fuel excise for motorists during a cost-of-living crisis. That's their choice but a choice that those opposite have made. However, regardless of the rate of the excise, this revenue collected by the federal government via fuel excise should be invested completely into land transport infrastructure. It's disappointing to learn that only 68 per cent of the tax raised is being used for this purpose by this government. It's out of line with motorists' expectations, particularly when our roads are falling into disrepair. The fuel excise is an important revenue stream, and, while temporary relief during economic downturns is a useful leaver available to government, I have never called for the excise to be scrapped or abolished completely.