Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
MP declares
A cost of living crisis has Australians crying out continued petrol price relief, an independent MP has declared.
At the time, both sides of politics agreed the temporary cut was necessary in the hope prices would have dropped by the time the tax was reinstated in September.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has repeatedly said the Albanese government would not extend the cost relief measure, given its $3bn cost to the budget bottom line.
But Ms Le has insisted the Prime Minister walk back the decision immediately.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for the government to really look at how they can ease the cost of living,” she told 2GB.
She pointed to the “inefficient” public transport on offer in Western Sydney and said the medium income in her electorate was “20 per cent lower than the median Australian household”.
The fuel excise was slashed to 22.1 centres per litre in the March budget by former treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
Ms Le said she intends to write to the Prime Minister to make her objection to the expected September price jump known.
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The national average retail petrol price was $2.12, according to the latest update from the Australian Institute of Petroleum.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commision, who has been tasked with monitoring petrol prices, found following the excise cut prices fell between 39 and 48 cents per litre.
Since April, regular unleaded petrol wholesale prices increased by around 40 cents per litre and diesel wholesale prices increased by around 42 cents per litre.
According to the ACCC’s latest update, higher wholesale prices have been flowing into retail prices in many locations.
For example, the average peak regular unleaded petrol price in Melbourne on 13 June 2022 (217.4 cents per litre) was 30.4 cents per litre higher than the peak price on 26 April (187.0 cents per litre).
Meanwhile average prices in Perth are now 35.1 per cent higher than the peak price on 20 April (179.9 cents per litre).
Ms Le said the government should use the levers within its control to assist Australians doing it tough.
“This is something that I believe, you know, the government can control in terms of ability to support our families,” she said.
