On top of all the cruel cuts and increases in the costs of living for struggling Tasmanians, Greens Senator for Tasmanian, Peter Whish-Wilson lashes the Liberal Government over their attempts to sneak through a reduction of $28.9 million from the Tasmanian Freight and Passenger Vehicle Equalisation schemes over the next three years.
Senator Whish-Wilson said, “The Liberal Party campaigned at the Federal election last year on finding a solution to the Bass Strait issues. A twenty-nine million dollar cut is not a solution, it’s a travesty.
“The Liberals have used a sleight of hand to cut $15.6 million from the Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme and $13.3 million from the Freight Equalisation Scheme.
“This is going to hurt the tourism sector, our exporters and Tasmanian consumers.
“The self-proclaimed ‘three amigos’ of Bass, Braddon and Lyons are going to have to explain to their constituents how a twenty-nine million dollar cut to our key link to the mainland is going to benefit them.
“On the Freight Equalisation Scheme cuts, someone is going to have to decide whether exporters or consumers will have to wear the pain.
“These cuts are targeting our economic lifeline in addition to all the other cruel cuts Tasmanians will have to suffer,” Senator Whish-Wilson concluded.
Greens Senator for Tasmanian, Peter Whish-Wilson
Big Spender of Dodges
May 14, 2014 at 00:42
Let us go to the Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure & Regional Development site:
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport/programs/maritime/bass/
Extract from “Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme”
The scheme is demand driven and uncapped with no upper limit to the total annual payment. In 2012–13, the Australian Government spent $34.5 million under the scheme.
The following rebates are available from 1 July 2013:
Up to $204 each way for cars
Up to $408 each way for motor homes
Up to $408 each way for eligible vehicles towing a caravan
Up to $103 each way for motorcycles
Up to $29 each way for bicycles
So, the Libs have virtually taken it all away with $28.9M cuts. Lets see what happens to the above rebates after July 2015!!!