Page 1047 - Week 03 - Thursday, 26 February 2009
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the adoption of a new fringe benefits tax statutory rate table that is more evenly spread across the range of kilometres travelled. The new rate table would encourage drivers to use their vehicles only as necessary. In the territory, we have a lot of drivers who are driving just to ensure that FBT targets are met. If the ACT government are genuine about taking this key step in greening our transport options, they should approach their federal colleagues and raise the issue of mandatory fuel efficiency standards and other measures as part of a genuine effort to reduce greenhouse emissions from our cars and encourage Australians to choose more sustainable transport options.
In summary, this measure sets us down a greener path. I make the point again, though, that without additional measures—and there is a whole raft of them, including the development of public transport—to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads, it will be too little to make a significant impact.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Treasurer, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Services and Minister for Women) (10.39): The government will not be supporting Mr Smyth’s motion. The disallowable instrument commenced on 3 September 2008 and is part of a package of legislative measures that are necessary to give effect to the government’s green vehicle duty scheme. The scheme implements an important part of the government’s weathering the change climate change action plan. The instrument sets differential duty rates for new vehicles to provide an incentive for the purchase of low-emission vehicles and a disincentive against the purchase of vehicles with poor environmental performance.
The green vehicle duty scheme is another demonstration of how the ACT government is leading the way when it comes to climate change. The ACT was the first state or territory in Australia to introduce a scheme of this kind. The scheme gives each vehicle a green vehicle rating based on the commonwealth’s green vehicle guide. It ensures that, as the environmental performance rating of the vehicle increases, the rate of duty payable on its registration decreases. It is designed to encourage people to consider a greener vehicle when next purchasing a new vehicle.
It is difficult to understand why Mr Smyth would move a motion to disallow the instrument setting the duty rates to the green vehicle duty scheme. Members of the Legislative Assembly passed the Duties Amendment Bill 2008 (No 2) amending the Duties Act 1999 to allow the minister to adopt or incorporate an instrument subject to frequent change such as the commonwealth green vehicle guide.
It should be noted that the instrument not only sets out the rate for new vehicles based on the commonwealth’s green vehicle guide, but it also sets out the applicable rates of duty on the transfer of motor vehicle registrations generally. Therefore, were this motion to be successful it would not only have the effect of abolishing the differential duty rates for the green vehicle duty scheme, but it would also abolish duty on the transfer of all vehicle registrations.
The green vehicle duty scheme is another practical step in assisting Canberrans to make more sustainable choices and to contribute to climate change solutions. It gives the best environmentally performing vehicles, with five stars in the green vehicle
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