LPG SUBSIDY NEEDS TO STAY MR RUDD
The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP has today called on Kevin Rudd’s razor gang to stay away from the LPG conversion subsidy in May’s Budget.
More than 115,000 motorists nationwide now drive vehicles that run on LPG autogas, thanks to the subsidy which was introduced by the Howard Government in August 2006.
The scheme provides $1,000 toward the price of a new factory fitted LPG vehicle and $2,000 toward the cost of converting a new or used vehicle to LPG; however, it is in the sights of the cost-cutting razor gang formed by the Labor Government.
“The subsidy encourages motorists to switch to a cheaper, cleaner fuel source and so far the public demand has actually been higher than expected,” Philip Ruddock said.
“LPG converted vehicles are more environmentally-friendly because they create much less carbon dioxide than those that run on unleaded petrol and their tailpipe emissions can be as much as 80 per cent cleaner.”
“If the Labor Government scraps this very successful subsidy so soon after signing the Kyoto Protocol it will be sending the message to other nations that symbolism has priority over programs of substance, like the conversion subsidy.”
“It will make a mockery of Labor’s supposedly green credentials they campaigned on during the federal election.”
Philip Ruddock said LPG also offered a cheaper alternative to motorists in the Electorate of Berowra than unleaded petrol because it was excise free, unlike unleaded petrol which currently has a 38.1 per cent excise.
“If the subsidy is scrapped in the Budget it will be a blow to both motorists and the environment – it will be a very short-sighted move by Kevin Rudd,” Mr Ruddock said.