The Australian Government should keep its current fuel tax relief measure for trucks until at least the end of August, ATA CEO Mathew Munro said today.
Fuel excise and the road user charge on truck fuel are set to return to normal on 3 August, as part of a stepped approach that aimed to prevent a spike in demand at the end of June and soften the impact of restoring the full rates on truck businesses.
The road user charge determines the fuel tax credits that the operators of on-road heavy vehicles receive on their monthly or quarterly business activity statements.
Mr Munro said the Government’s relief measures since the war began had saved many businesses. Keeping the road user charge at its current rate, 16.4 cents per litre, rather than increasing it to 32.4 cents per litre on 3 August would continue that support.
“Trucking was already in a precarious position before the war, and it is clear that the crisis isn’t over,” Mr Munro said.
“The ceasefire has collapsed; the double blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has resumed; the Houthi rebels in Yemen are attempting to blockade oil shipments from the west coast of Saudi Arabia.
“Diesel prices are rising again. The average terminal gate price of diesel is now more than 200 cents per litre in every capital city.
“It will be difficult for many trucking businesses to pay more for fuel and at the same time receive less in tax credits as the 16 cents per litre increase in the road user charge begins to bite.
“We urge the Government to keep the road user charge at its present level until 31 August, with a review in late August to decide if the discount should be extended further,” he said.
