Victoria’s electric vehicle tax thrown out by High Court

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by kypez

It was actually me suggesting that those that ride in on their high horse proclaiming that EVs need to pay their fair share whilst most of society doesn't anyway.

LPG/E85 didn't get this much attention but EVs have.

Think you missed the point... Again.

“What about” posts don’t work unless the recipient is an idiot.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by kypez

Where do you stop? LPG generates less excise and was free of excise for decades. EVs have no excise and everyone loses their mind. No one was protesting LPG

Sure, but to be fair, nobody outside of fordforums believes LPG will ever be the fuel of choice for the majority of the population :P

[kypez]

Originally Posted by b0son

Sure, but to be fair, nobody outside of fordforums believes LPG will ever be the fuel of choice for the majority of the population :P

And that's the kicker, isn't it. The outrage is because people truly believe EVs will take over. They never felt that way about LPG nor E85 nor any other fuel source till date.

[whynot]

Originally Posted by kypez

LPG has less excise and was free of excise for decades. E85 pays excise on 15% of the fuel.

There is a little bit more history here that is being glossed over.

During the 1974 oil crisis, there was a concerted push to improve Australia's fuel security. Both LPG and biofuels were just starting to appear as viable alternatives. Viable in terms of technology and viable in terms of cost. LPG/CNC was also considered a better fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to improve urban air quality (over the alternatives of diesel and petrol). Hence, the decision was made not to exercise these fuels as heavily, so as to encourage the move across to LPG and biofuels. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it...)

In 2002, the Commonwealth Parliament's Fuel Taxation Inquiry Committee conducted a study called the "Fuel Tax Inquiry Report". All 292 pages of a most gripping and thrilling read still available for reading on the Treasury web site.

The report concluded that the reasons for the lack of exercise on LPG was, in 2002, "unclear". Hence the increase in exercise on LPG. Over time, LPG has fallen by the wayside as an alternate fuel sources.

And this is where it gets interesting for EV owners who claim they already pay enough tax ... the abovementioned report runs on for a number of pages to discuss the "externalities" associated with transport, like road maintenance and infrastructure, congestion costs, road crashes, et al.

The "Fuel Tax Inquiry Report" then has a nice little section about revenue raising. It notes,

Fuel excise is the largest source of Commonwealth Government indirect tax revenue and accounts for approximately 7.5 per cent of total revenue, making it the third largest source of tax revenue after personal income tax and company tax. The contribution of fuel excise to total revenue over the past 15 years has remained relatively constant at around seven to eight per cent.

The report then goes on about "tax design for efficient resource allocation", which is really code for how the government can best fleece the tax payer.

The report is really interesting reading insomuch as the parliament has already done all of the leg work to justify charging EV some form of fee.

Broadening the excise base

In addition, the Inquiry considers that the legislation describing the new excise system should be made simple and flexible so that new fuels which come on to the market will automatically be included. This streamlining will ensure greater certainty, while significantly reducing future compliance and administrative costs for both industry and the ATO.

If we are really going to become an EV society, there is absolutely no way that the government will let such a large part of its revenue base slip away.

[kypez]

Originally Posted by whynot

There is a little bit more history here that is being glossed over.



During the 1974 oil crisis, there was a concerted push to improve Australia's fuel security. Both LPG and biofuels were just starting to appear as viable alternatives. Viable in terms of technology and viable in terms of cost. LPG/CNC was also considered a better fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to improve urban air quality (over the alternatives of diesel and petrol). Hence, the decision was made not to exercise these fuels as heavily, so as to encourage the move across to LPG and biofuels. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it...)



In 2002, the Commonwealth Parliament's Fuel Taxation Inquiry Committee conducted a study called the "Fuel Tax Inquiry Report". All 292 pages of a most gripping and thrilling read still available for reading on the Treasury web site.



The report concluded that the reasons for the lack of exercise on LPG was, in 2002, "unclear". Hence the increase in exercise on LPG. Over time, LPG has fallen by the wayside as an alternate fuel sources.



And this is where it gets interesting for EV owners who claim they already pay enough tax ... the abovementioned report runs on for a number of pages to discuss the "externalities" associated with transport, like road maintenance and infrastructure, congestion costs, road crashes, et al.



The "Fuel Tax Inquiry Report" then has a nice little section about revenue raising. It notes,







The report then goes on about "tax design for efficient resource allocation", which is really code for how the government can best fleece the tax payer.



The report is really interesting reading insomuch as the parliament has already done all of the leg work to justify charging EV some form of fee.









If we are really going to become an EV society, there is absolutely no way that the government will let such a large part of its revenue base slip away.

Totally agree. I don't for a second think I've paid "enough" tax. That was just pointing out that it's weird how policy taxes one type of car different to others. Should just be consistent.

I'm more than Happy to pay a federal EV usage tax. I enjoyed the benefits of being an early adopter.

For now, the govt wants us (like you mentioned in the 70's) to move to EVs for fuel security reasons. I've always maintained the Green angle has NOTHING to do with the govt desire to go to EVs.

Labor aren't going to introduce a Federal EV tax just yet. Timing is all wrong for them. It'll come, no doubt.

Should kill off fuel excise and just do the per kms tax.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by kypez

And that's the kicker, isn't it. The outrage is because people truly believe EVs will take over. They never felt that way about LPG nor E85 nor any other fuel source till date.

Those were still ICEs you could refuel at a typical servo. They still worked the way we expected a car to. EVs require a little bit of a shift in one's approach, and we know how much people love change.