Re: Good News for Rail Fuel taxes

["Derek Rogers" <DekRogers@nospambigpond.com>]

A major concern for the rail industry in the original GST proposal was that
rail's
efficiency relative to road would actually work against it if there were
equal reductions in fuel excise for both transport modes in any tax
reshuffle. Put simply, the benefit in terms of the
cost structure of road transport (i.e. higher fuel use compared to rail)
would be greater than for rail freight.
Today's SMH newspaper says rail gets a full rebate on fuel excise worth $319
million over four years.
Regards
Derek Rogers

Bill MIller <backtran@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
7inale$1h3$1@news1.mpx.com.au">news:7inale$1h3$1@news1.mpx.com.au...
> Unfortunately the original proposal was for rail to pay the same as trucks
> (the result they now apparently have), the rail industry was pushing for a
> 100% reuduction in excise, since rail is an "off road" user of diesel, the
> excise being a road user charge. If true, this result is not good news (I
> did not hear the speech), it is very bad news, with Howard giving it a
> positive spin!
>
>
> David Bennetts wrote in message <374f1908.0@newshost.pcug.org.au>...
> >In his speech last night, the PM John Howard announced that rail would
now
> >be eligible for the same reductions in fuel excise which will apply under
> >the GST regime to heavy road vehicles, ie those over 20 tonnes generally
> and
> >between 4.5 tonnes and 20 tonnes in country areas.   At least this goes
> some
> >way to restoring a level playing field.  Under the original plans, rail
> >would have been paying 16 cents per litre more for diesel fuel than the
> >heavy road transport industry.  Onya Meg!
> >
> >Regards
> >
> >David Bennetts
> >
> >
>
>