Fed: Fuel excise changes must protect consumers NRMA

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2000
Fed: Fuel excise changes must protect consumers NRMA

CANBERRA, April 3 AAP - Proposed excise changes aimed at combating fuel substitutions
would only be effective if complementary consumer protection measures were also introduced,
major motor insurer NRMA said today.

The company has made the recommendation in its submission to the Senate economics committee
examining the proposed changes, and is due to report to parliament tomorrow.

NRMA spokesman Jack Haley said the company's concerns were that excise changes in isolation
would not tackle the potential for poor quality petrol being sold at the bowser.

"NRMA reiterated its call for a more visible and continuous random sampling program
to ensure incidences of fuel substitution are detected promptly and will act as a deterrent
to other unscrupulous dealers," he said in a statement.

"The Senate committee is looking at how these legislative changes will curb tariff
evasion as well as their effectiveness in addressing fuel dilution which is potentially
damaging to motor vehicles and of immediate concern to NRMA members."

He said the measures in the Customs Tariff Amendment Bill and the Excise Tariff Amendment
Bill might only address excise evasion but would not be accompanied by effective detection
powers.

Changes to the excise regime for petrol were forecast by the federal government last
month when widespread substitution of lower-excised chemicals, such as the paint thinner
toluene, was detected in Melbourne and Sydney.

AAP dep/pjs

KEYWORD: PETROL NRMA

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