Govt Has No Plans To Cut Petrol Tax: Pm

[f-wolf]

The federal government has no plans to slash the fuel excise despite predictions petrol prices could soar to $1.50 a litre by Christmas.

Prime Minister John Howard says he has not discussed cutting petrol taxes with his colleagues.

Speculation that petrol could cost $1.50 a litre by Christmas was an exaggeration, he said

"We don't have any plans to do that (cut fuel excise) now, no," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

"We are obviously worried and it is going up because of the world price of oil.

"Whether it goes to $1.50, I'm not sure about that, I think that is perhaps a little alarmist.

"But it is a lot higher than I would like."

Overnight, light sweet crude oil for December delivery closed at $US95.46 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Mr Howard said Australia's strong local currency had softened the blow of booming world oil prices.

"Fortunately, because of the strong dollar, the full impact of nearly $US100 a barrel in crude oil prices is not as painful as it would otherwise be," he said.

"It is still painful - very, very painful - but it is being cushioned to some extent by the very strong Australian dollar, which is partly due, only partly due, to the strength of the Australian economy.

"The dominant driver is the weakness of the American dollar, but there is some contribution in Australia being an attractive place for investment."

[f-wolf]

And this is from the UK

SUNSET ON CHEAP PETROL: Drivers in the UK are now paying more than £1 a litre for their fuel but few are bothered enough to worry about it.

BRITS WILL DRIVE WHATEVER IT COSTS

Price of petrol? Who cares, say UK drivers

November 5, 2007

London, England - The price of petrol in the UK has passed £1 a litre and is expected to reach another record high shortly so it would be reasonable to assume motorists would be put off driving.

But an insurance company poll indicated that petrol prices would have to almost double to an extortionate £1.83 a litre to make drivers pause before eaching for their car keys.

The random phone sample of 644 drivers over the age of 18, nicknamed the "carry on pumping" poll, demonstrated that a clear majority (55 percent) of UK drivers would never part with their cars in favour of public transport - regardless of cost

72 percent of drivers know how to reduce fuel consumption but don't make the effort

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One in three drivers displayed a complete disregard for how much they spent on fuel, never monitoring the cheapest petrol prices in their area, far less driving a little further for the best budget deal.

The research also revealed that:

* 37 percent of drivers wouldn't consider replacing their car with a more fuel-efficient or environmentally friendly car in the next three years.

* The vast majority (79 percent) hadn't changed their attitude to buying petrol despite the threat of huge price rises.

[Lord Cyric]

You have to put that in perspective...

£1 per litre == A$2.28 (compared to today's avg. pump price of A$1.29)

Sure the cost of living in the UK is way more expensive than in this "convict colony", but petrol is still far cheaper here than in most parts of the world. Most people don't realise how good we have it here in Oz...

[Adam]

If Rudd wanted to guarantee victory I think all he would have to do is promise to knock even just 10 cents off the tax on fuel. Surely the surplus can easily account for that.

With every budget there's always some group that misses out while others benefit. If they cut fuel tax everyone would benefit. I know I'd rather see the fuel tax come down than get a small cut in income tax.

[XRT-16]

I 100% agree.. put your tax cut somewhere else and give us a fuel tax cut ... giggle wow I would properly save alot more $$.. but government doesn't want you to save money? so it wont happen

[BFHOON]

howard wants the price of petrol to be high so it will obsorb the extra cash in the average family budget reducing spending helping out interest rates.

[XRDOSE]

Howard's getting shafted on the 24th so who cares he can say whatever he likes.

[jetute]

  Lord Cyric said:

You have to put that in perspective...

£1 per litre == A$2.28 (compared to today's avg. pump price of A$1.29)

Sure the cost of living in the UK is way more expensive than in this "convict colony", but petrol is still far cheaper here than in most parts of the world. Most people don't realise how good we have it here in Oz...

I disagree....

lets think about it... in australia (on average) we rake up far more kilometres per head then drivers in europe (im from scandinavia).... this is as our country is far more dispersed then most small european nations.... a lot of us in brisbane drive daily to the gold coast to work and vice versa... my mates in finland/sweden etc laugh at this sort of thing.. they would be lucky to rack 20km a day in work related travel.. for christ sakes... if they drive 100km or more they plan a fricken coffee break into their trip as it is so far away!!!!!!!!!! I drive more then this daily.

Now if I had to pay as much for petrol as they do... I would be getting a new arse hole torn!!

with the amount we drive compared to the price we pay.. we are getting rorted.. that's just my opinion... if someone thinks we should pay more, then that's fine... but dont compare it to small european nations that do not sell as much fuel as we do. The buggers would not stay afloat with cheaper prices as they do not sell as much fuel.

therefore I cant see how we can have it so good???? over the course of the year I would pay more for fuel then they do. its all relative is it not?

Edited 10/11/07 10:28 AM by jetute