The State Government’s threat of removing its fuel subsidy has resulted in more than 50,000 Queenslanders signing an RACQ online petition
The State Government’s threat of removing its fuel subsidy has resulted in more than 50,000 Queenslanders signing an RACQ online petition within one week.
Overwhelming support follows last week’s rally in Brisbane, led by major industry groups such as Agforce, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland, Motor Trades Association of Queensland and the Queensland Trucking Association.
RACQ’s General Manager for External Relations, Gary Fites, says the response to the petition indicates strong support across the community.
“Queenslanders are sending a strong, clear message to the Government that scrapping the subsidy in the June 16 Budget would be the wrong move at the wrong time,” he says.
An extra 9.2 cents tax a litre on petrol and diesel could hurt businesses as well as families, warns Fites.
He says the removal of the long-standing subsidy combined with an increase in vehicle registration fees of 17 to 22 percent from July 1 will cost most Queensland families several hundred dollars a year.
“By supporting the petition, families and businesses are saying that they can’t afford these extra costs,” Fites says.
For more information on the ‘fight the fuel tax’ campaign, go to: http://www.racq.com.au/fuelsubsidy.