The Moving People 2030 Taskforce is pushing for more funding for public transport
The Moving People 2030 Taskforce is supporting a call to invest the revenue generated by reintroducing CPI to the fuel excise into public transport, as part of the ongoing campaign to improve public transport.
The Coalition announced in the Federal Budget it would re-introduce biannual indexation to the fuel excise and expects to generate $2.3billion over the forward estimates, with every dollar earmarked for roads.
The Moving People Taskforce believes that a Sustainable Transport Fund and a Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) for salary packaging public transport should be established with the revenue generated through the CPI increases to the fuel tax.
This comes as the Australian Greens have taken the position to move some of the revenue into public transport as opposed to just roads.
Taskforce Spokesperson Bus Industry Confederation Executive Director Michael Apps is supportive of the fuel excise increase but does not support the revenue going wholly to roads.
“The increase to the fuel excise offers the Abbott government a perfect opportunity to innovatively fund public transport in our major capital cities, whilst still leaving almost $45billion in the budget for roads,” he says.
“Public transport provides for the masses so surely it is not too much to ask that a portion of revenue generated through the reintroduction of CPI to the fuel tax is dedicated to public transport.”
He says the revenue should be hypothecated into a Sustainable Transport Fund that is focussed on funding through the states, improved public transport services and infrastructure.
“Furthermore it should be supported by the introduction of a Fringe Benefits Tax for salary packaging annual public transport passes to incentivise people to ditch the car and opt for public transport. Currently the FBT only encourages more for car use,” he says.
Members of the Taskforce will be lodging submissions to the Senate Standing Committees on Economics with further recommendations this Friday.