Diesel fuel rebate guaranteed

SETFIA is pleased that in the lead up to the election there is bipartisan agreement about retaining the fishing industry’s rebate of the diesel fuel tax.  A tax long associated with road users.  This rebate is crucial to ensure the ongoing viability of our fisheries.

On April 15 The Australian newspaper ran a story titled, Labor rules out backing push to scrap miners’ diesel fuel rebate.  The article stated that Labor has ruled out supporting a push by green groups to scrap the diesel fuel rebate after a coalition of environmental groups increased pressure on the government to slash the measure by releasing polling showing public support for the move.  Opposition Resources spokesman Gary Gray said there was “no circumstance under which the removal of the diesel fuel rebate will ever be good public policy’’.  Mr Gray said the diesel fuel rebate was not a subsidy because what was being rebated was the embedded road user charge in the cost of diesel.