Re: Alice Springs to Darwin line, but wait, there is more.!

["Ray McDermott" <raymcd@ozemail.com.au>]

--
Ray McDermott   raymcd@ozemail.com.au
< Tell > <telljb@OZozemail.com.au> wrote in message
TLf6N9iWe+zVZzItZZDjNs4rc6wV@4ax.com">news:TLf6N9iWe+zVZzItZZDjNs4rc6wV@4ax.com...
> "Exnarc" <gwrly@netspace.net.au> wrote in reply to
> Terry who said thus:
> > >
> > > Cost recovery, well seeing that only a *fraction* of
> > > the taxes paid by Australian motorists and trucks
> > > actually finds its way back into the roads.  I am not
> > > sure what your point is.
> > > Railways pay stuff all taxes when compared with
> > > cars/trucks.  Keating, remember him, he slapped an
> > > excise on fuel for railways which has now been revoked
> > > by those terrible Torys.!  It was peanuts compared with
> > > the road impositions.
>
> [Bob]
> > Terry there you go again, what have you been drinking???<g>
> >
> > Tell us all so we can join in.
>
> [Terry}
> OK, the total taxes (Fed & State) collected from ALL
> road users including fuel excise, sales tax, rego,
> stamp duties, parts etc amount to a staggering $15.5
> BILLION annually, and these figures are a couple of
> years old.
>
> The spending on roads is just under $2 BILLION.!
>
(snip)------


This tirade was obviously lifted straight from a trucking magazine as found
in one of those dreadful road-houses that abound in NT.  It is illogical
that all taxes raised through the motor transport industry must be spent on
roads.  (Corollary: All liquor taxes spent on vineyards??)
  Consider:
  (1)  Sales and excise taxes are a legitimate method of raising taxes.  The
GST is an extension of this principle.  The motor industry must make its
contribution.
  (2)  Road user charges are a separate issue over and above basic tax.
  (3)  Private motorists carry too much tax burden vis-a-vis road transport
industry.
  (4)  Infrastructure and maintenance costs for truck-carrying roads are
much higher than required for cars alone.  The trucking industry should bear
the total differential.
 (5)  There is a much greater cost to the community for roading than the
provision of roads.  The cost of road deaths and injuries, administration,
policing etc must be included.

Ray