House debates Questions without Notice
Fuel Prices
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:14 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Page 5 of the Prime Minister's repeal day report shows that, on top of his $2.2 billion petrol tax ambush, the Prime Minister is slugging petrol stations with their very own $5.1 million petrol station tax—that is $800 on average, for every petrol station, every year. Why is the Prime Minister so determined to hit Australian motorists with a petrol tax whammy?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:15 pm
I think the Leader of the Opposition has been set up by the Manager of Opposition Business, because the Manager of Opposition Business made exactly the same claim on radio this morning. But the claim is simply wrong. If members opposite understood how our tax system worked, they would know this. This excise is paid by oil companies, not by petrol stations. Get it? It is paid by oil companies not by petrol stations. Individual petrol stations will not be required to do anything different. No wonder those on the other side were in love with tax; they do not understand how it works. They do not understand the pain it causes. But we do.