Just pay the road user tax and then shut this excuse down.

[Blue heaven]

Once again due to a South Australian government announcement the EV road user charge is in the news again, the same old chorus line is rolled out in an article every few months across main stream media as an excuse to attack electric vehicles and divide opinion, of course both sides fall for it hook, line and sinker every time.
So here's the answer, everyone should pay their way in this country, introduce the road user tax so the argument is shut down once and for all then we can a get on with the real discussion, making fossil fuel cars pay for damage they do to the health of Australians via air pollution.
For those who say their not paying another tax on top of the registration, GST, and possibly luxury car tax get over it, if you bought any other car you would have still paid those taxes, if you don't like paying LCT buy a standard range model 3, it's the best value car on the market. Personally I paid around $18,000 LCT alone back in 2015, I don't care, all those AMG drivers who bought expensive cars since the first model S arrived in Australia also paid large amounts of GST and they bought a crap, over rated car.
An owner driving the average distance per year will pay $500-$600 in road user charges, that's stuff all compared to the multitude of other taxes you don't even realize your paying. If you have a problem with that you must be furious about the plus $1000 every member of your family subsidies fossil fuels in this country.
Paying a road user tax is a small part of the bigger picture, a country that makes use of electric transportation and renewables and far less reliance of fossil fuels will be far better off in the future.

 

[PC__LoadLetter]

Yeah, no. Just rename the fuel excise to something like the respiratory surcharge, and leave us alone. Roads are paid for by council rates and state levies (such as stamp duty) anyway. Nothing to do with the federal government's fuel excise.

 

[RareEarth]

This what a country (Norway) can do when it is serious about getting fossils off the road:

• No purchase/import taxes (1990- )
• Exemption from 25% VAT on purchase (2001- )
• No annual road tax (1996- )
• No charges on toll roads or ferries (1997- 2017).
• Maximum 50% of the total amount on ferry fares for electric vehicles (2018- )
• Maximum 50% of the total amount on toll roads (2019)
• Free municipal parking (1999- 2017)
• Parking fee for EVs was introduced locally with an upper limit of a maximum 50% of the full price (2018- )
• Access to bus lanes (2005- ).
• New rules allow local authorities to limit the access to only include EVs that carry one or more passengers (2016)
• 50 % reduced company car tax (2000-2018).
• Company car tax reduction reduced to 40% (2018- )
• Exemption from 25% VAT on leasing (2015)
• Fiscal compensation for the scrapping of fossil vans when converting to a zero-emission van (2018)
• Allowing holders of driver licence class B to drive electric vans class C1 (light lorries) up to 4250 kg (2019)

From: Norwegian EV policy

It seems to be working to the point where they are starting to wind back some of the measures.

 

[paulp]

Yeah, no. Just rename the fuel excise to something like the respiratory surcharge, and leave us alone. Roads are paid for by council rates and state levies (such as stamp duty) anyway. Nothing to do with the federal government's fuel excise.

Not entirely true. Local roads are council rates, but major road changes such as freeways and tunnels are often paid for in full or part by the feds. I suspect they collect more than they spend though

 

[paulp]

The SA treasurer has advised that this world first tax is also being worked on by other states

 

[PC__LoadLetter]

Not entirely true. Local roads are council rates, but major road changes such as freeways and tunnels are often paid for in full or part by the feds. I suspect they collect more than they spend though

If the feds have ever paid for a road in full, in our lifetimes, then I have a bridge to sell you!

Well, not counting the ACT prior to self-government.

 

[paulp]

If the feds have ever paid for a road in full, in our lifetimes, then I have a bridge to sell you!

Well, not counting the ACT prior to self-government.

The feds paid $850m for the full cost of the elevated south road in Adelaide, mostly through the industrial suburb of wingfield. Its got bridges too, just not as attractive as the one you want to sell. But like I said, they pay in full or in part, and its usually in part. Take the next part of south road. The feds have agreed to a sizeable chunk of around half if tthe state pays the other half. There is no direct correlation to the states half from road users as we have an aversion to toll roads in SA.

 

[jamesgo]

"The SA government said the new tax would raise only $1 million in its first year in operation, equating to $400 for each EV now in the state."
Electric vehicle taxes expected across Australia

 

[Sluggabed]

The SA treasurer has advised that this world first tax is also being worked on by other states

"World first tax" , seriously unbelievable. They talk about it like it's a cure for cancer or took some genius to come up with it and proud of it.....truly astonishing.Rather than coming up with ways to save the taxpayer from more stress.
Meanwhile this country continues to bounce along the bottom of the barrel with no real clear direction on anything, apart from 'world first taxes'.