Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

On the last question you have raised, Mr Chairman, I wish to indicate to the committee that, in relation to the questions of the bill standing as printed and the report of the committee being adopted, my instructions are that the opposition will be voting in the negative. We will not, however, be calling a division, which is why I am indicating to the Senate that the coalition is taking this view. I am particularly grateful that at least two of the four amendments have been agreed to, and I hope that the government will accept them in the other place.

The coalition’s position is that we really did not want to have any increase in this road tax charge. We think the trucking industry already suffers heavy imposts. They do not get much for the road charges they pay. The roads around Australia are in a shocking condition, and the rest stops are not there. Regarding the question of harmonisation, we have heard time and again in this chamber about the stupidity of differences in regulations when driving from one state to the other. It has been agreed that they will be harmonised, but the question is when. For all these reasons, the coalition believes it should support the trucking industry and there should not be an increase without the guarantees that we have sought here. It is for this reason that my instructions are that the opposition will be voting against the whole bill. I wanted to put that on the record but, because of the inevitable time delay that would be involved, I will not be calling a division.

Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2008 Bill reported without requests; Road Charges Legislation Repeal and Amendment Bill 2008 reported with requests; report adopted.