Re: Whats happening with the VFT.

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <385972B3.4EB3E57A@primus.com.au> Richard <richard_snook@primus.com.au> writes:
>From: Richard <richard_snook@primus.com.au>
>Subject: Re: Whats happening with the VFT.
>Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 10:16:03 +1100

>The fate of the original VFT was sealed with hypocrisy fromthe thenGovernment reagarding TAX offsets..Inits mosybasic
>form the legislation of the day allowed these concessions toan existing company..But the then new consortium was
>requesting this same status, but the Government used some loop hole of its tax laws to stymie this request.The viability
>of the original as indeed the present prospect releis tosome degree on theses tax concessions.
Stuff snipped.

I think everyone in this country knows about the pathetic attitude of Govts to 
rail,the more interesting question is why is it so.
Its clearly not a party thing as both Labor and Liberal are anti rail , or 
more obviously pro road.
Thru out the world where rail has existed for years especially in Europe and 
to a lesser extent in the US , Govts are either pro rail, Japan , Switzerland, 
France , or have no direct opinion either way , ie the US regime where the 
private sector runs the trains , but the US Govt doesnt seem to be totally 
anti rail,or as pro road as here in Aus.
(ie the US Govt doesnt tax the Railways to pay for Roads as the Aus Govt was 
doing .)
Maybe its because of the way rail started here in Australia, ie State 
owned and operated.
This is differant to most other parts of the world where in the cases where 
Govts own or operate trains , its always been the case that one Govt per 
country has been responsible.
Is Australias rail situation unique in the world, ie State govts running rail?
Whilst the Feds rake in so much money from fuel exise they will always be pro 
road , wouldnt you, when you get a cool $11 billion per annum from mug 
motorists.

Whilst the situation now for rail is a bit better , in that railways only have 
to pay around 18c per litre in fuel excise, the same as trucks, contrast this 
to the level of excise on aviation kerosene paid by the aviation industry of a 
colossal 1.7c per litre.
Id say if anything that if the Feds are pro road , they are even more pro 
aviation.

cheers
MD