Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

I thank all senators for their contributions to the debate on the Fuel Tax Bill 2006 and the Fuel Tax (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2006. The Fuel Tax Bill 2006 gives effect to the government’s announcement in its energy white paper Securing Australia’s energy future, of 15 June 2004, that the current array of fuel tax concessions be replaced by a single fuel credit system from 1 July 2006. The Fuel Tax (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2006 provides the transitional arrangements to phase in the new system while phasing out the following schemes for which entitlements will cease to exist for fuel sales or deliveries made after 30 June 2006: the Energy Grants Credits Scheme, the Fuel Sales Grant Scheme—and in mentioning the Fuel Sales Grant Scheme, I am delighted to hear of the Labor senators’, particularly senators Webber and Stephens, new-found virtue in relation to Fuel Sales Grant Scheme given that they went to the last election with the policy of repealing the scheme, effective from January 2005, so your new-found virtue is delightful, Senator Stephens—