00:01Under this plan proposed by opposition leader Angus Taylor, Australia's fuel excise would
00:08be halved for a period of three months.
00:10Mr Taylor said that this would reduce the price of fuel at the bowser by around 25 cents
00:17per litre for that temporary time period.
00:21Now, he's also put forward an idea of halving the road user charge, saying that this would
00:27effectively reduce pressure on the cost of transporting food and other goods.
00:32He says he's written to the Prime Minister with this plan, saying it's fully costed and
00:36it would be paid for by removing a tax exemption for electric vehicles, slashing green hydrogen
00:45projects and also putting a phrase on the government's home battery scheme.
00:51Now, a short time ago, Shadow Transport Minister and leader of the Nationals in the Senate, Bridget
00:56Mackenzie joined afternoon briefing, where she explained a bit more about that proposed
01:01change to the road user charge.
01:04Take a listen.
01:05We know one of the mistakes made during COVID when we did have those temporary cuts to the
01:12fuel excise, that we didn't also cut the road user charge by the same amount.
01:18And so the trucking industry actually had a real issue and wasn't getting the flow on benefit
01:25of that tax cut.
01:28And Lexi, how has the government responded to that idea?
01:31Yeah, well, soon after this proposal was put forward by Angus Taylor, both Prime Minister
01:37Anthony Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen held a short joint press conference.
01:43While the Prime Minister wouldn't rule this plan in or out, Chris Bowen was a lot more explicit
01:49in saying that he had concerns over how the opposition planned to pay for this plan.
01:55He said that it's not a great idea to increase the cost of electricity in order to make the
02:01cost of fuel cheaper.
02:03Now, during this press conference, we also heard the Prime Minister respond to comments
02:09made by US President Donald Trump overnight, which in essence criticised Australia's response
02:16to the war in the Middle East so far.
02:18He said that he was surprised that Australia hadn't provided the US support to help secure
02:24the Strait of Hormuz.
02:26Anthony Albanese said that there hasn't been a direct request for Australia's support in securing
02:33the Strait.
02:34Take a listen to what Anthony Albanese had to say there.
02:38President Trump is someone who I've enjoyed a very constructive relationship with.
02:44I said very early on that I wasn't going to comment on all of his commentary on a day-to
02:51-day
02:51basis.
02:52But I again reiterate that there is no request being made to Australia that has not been agreed
03:01to.
03:02President Trump is up to him to explain his comments.
03:08Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaking a bit earlier today.
03:12And of course, Joe, next week we will see the Prime Minister convene National Cabinet for
03:17the second time this month.
03:19Of course, the big focus will be on the fuel crisis.
03:22He says that the aim is to really coordinate a national response with all levels of government
03:28fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure the national interest is served.
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