Fed: Country fuel grant further tax complication

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2000
Fed: Country fuel grant further tax complication

CANBERRA, April 13 AAP - The country fuel grant had complicated an already complex
new tax system, Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said today.

Mr Beazley said Prime Minister John Howard had said he was aiming for simplicity in
the tax system but had delivered exactly the opposite.

"When people voted for John Howard they didn't expect charisma, they didn't expect
all that much vision, but they did expect competence," Mr Beazley told reporters.

"Now we see this extraordinary mapping of Australia with thin grey lines going down
highways and areas massively disadvantaged by finding themselves on one particular side
of the line."

Maps released yesterday to define the metropolitan boundaries for the scheme showed
just how complicated application of the new country fuel grant would be.

Trucks driving from Sydney to Newcastle would not be eligible for the grant, for example,
but those that stopped off in Gosford along the way would.

Brisbane-Gold Coast and Brisbane-Sunshine Coast trips would also miss out unless the
truck made a delivery along the way, and a similar rule applied to deliveries between
Geelong and Melbourne.

Mr Beazley said if Mr Howard had not proceeded with the new tax package Australia would
be happier and better off.

"If John Howard had not proceeded with this tax package in this form he would have
had a magnificent surplus now to give the Australian people a bit of a tax cut, to start
funding our education system properly and to start fixing up the public hospitals," he
said.

The government announced on Tuesday a one cent a litre grant for regional areas and
two cents a litre in remote areas to ensure fuel prices did not rise as a result of the
GST.

Yesterday it extended the rebate to all trucks over 4.5 tonnes carrying primary produce.

Previously, only trucks between 4.5 tonnes and 20 tonnes travelling to or from non-metropolitan
areas qualified.

AAP eg/mfh/lw/br

KEYWORD: TAX FUEL BEAZLEY

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