Government ‘just can’t afford’ to continue with fuel excise relief: Chalmers

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the federal government isn’t pretending the end to the fuel excise cut on Wednesday night will be an “easy change” for motorists. “We’ve tried to be upfront with people before the election, during the election and after the election that a budget which is heaving with a trillion dollars in Liberal Party debt can’t afford to sustain something that costs three billion dollars every six months,” Dr Chalmers told Sky News Australia. “So what we’ve said to people all along is the petrol excise relief will come off on Wednesday night as was legislated by our predecessors, that’s just the fact of it. “We know that many people would prefer that to be otherwise but we just can’t afford to continue that relief indefinitely.” Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au