CANBERRA, Mar 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is facing calls from within the government, to temporarily scrap taxes on fuel, to address record high prices.
The price of unleaded petrol has spiked to above 2.2 Australian dollars (1.6 U.S. dollars) per litre, across the country, from about 1.7 as a result of rising global oil prices.
Amid the spike, Morrison and Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, have been urged to cut the fuel excise – a flat tax placed on the sale of petrol, which is currently 44 cents per litre – in order to ease the cost of living pressures.
Susan McDonald, a government senator from Queensland, today joined calls for the excise to be reduced, saying, it was the “bluntest instrument” available to address the crisis.
“The idea of pausing the fuel excise, or a portion of it, I think is something that we’re going to have to look at,” she was quoted as saying, by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“Because we just can’t afford to absorb the prices that we’re looking at currently,” she said.
Her comments came, after Morrison yesterday said, any move to lower the excise would be contained in the federal budget, which he and Frydenberg are expected to hand down later this month.
Yesterday afternoon, Assistant Treasurer, Michael Sukkar, conceded that the cost of living was a significant issue with a general election due to be held in May.
“There is no doubt the budget will seek to build the recovery, ensure that we keep our foot on the economic accelerator, but will also take into account the fact households are feeling the pressures of cost of living,” he told Sky News Australia.– NNN-AGENCIES
