Tony Mahar, Chief Executive, National Farmers’ Federation, Media Release, 9 February 2023

We welcome the confirmation by the Prime Minister yesterday that the Government will leave the Fuel Tax Credits Scheme unchanged.

This is a huge relief to farmers who would otherwise have seen a significant spike in their costs. Farmers are already battling skyrocketing costs on too many fronts. It would be devastating to see government add to that by increasing our tax burden at the same time.

The decision by the Prime Minister is an economically sensible call. Increasing costs on the food supply chain would do nothing but fuel the cost of living crisis for consumers. It would also defy logic by levying a road tax on off-road fuel use.

It’s disappointing to see that there are still a number of representatives in the Federal Parliament who choose to ignore these basic facts.

We’ll continue to reach out to politicians of all persuasions to correct misinformation regarding Fuel Tax Credits and explain the important role they play in farm business.