Mr LIEBERMAN (1:50 PM) —I am very pleased to support the government's legislation on the Fuel Sales Grants Bill 2000. I would like to congratulate the Prime Minister and the Treasurer for this initiative. It first of all provides and ensures that, after the introduction of the GST on 1 July, when consumers of fuel from non-metropolitan areas in Australia obtain their fuel at the pump the prices at the pump need not rise as a result of the GST. That is the effect of this legislation. It is a complex issue because, across Australia, excise is applied uniformly. Under the Constitution, excise has to be applied in a uniform manner. It is a difficult and complex task to find a solution, and the Prime Minister and the Treasurer have done that very effectively. I am very pleased to support this legislation, as a member of the government and a member representing part of regional Australia, because we all wanted to ensure that the government delivered on its undertaking in its tax reform package. At the last election, we said that the introduction of the GST would be done in such a way that fuel prices at the bowser need not rise. This legislation is delivering on that undertaking.

I believe it is a fair interpretation, from hearing Labor Party members speak on this bill, that it appears that the Labor Party is going to vote against this legislation. They are consistently voting against reforms of tax and against the reduction in fuel prices for small business—which I will comment on briefly—and now they are telegraphing that they are going to try to frustrate and apparently defeat this measure, which will deliver the promise that the government made. They do not want us to deliver on that. Let us be clear on what their motive is: they do not want us to deliver on our undertaking. We should be using a mirror to reflect their words back on them, because they are culpable and responsible for their actions and should be made accountable. The Labor Party do not want small businesses to get their fuel at a 10 per cent cheaper price—which they will under the government's policies. The Labor Party, in fact, have fought hard to frustrate this legislation. Now it appears they are positioning themselves to prevent country and regional motorists from being able to buy their fuel at the correct price after 1 July. I repeat that the price at the bowser need not rise as a result of the introduction of the GST.

The shadow Treasurer is in the chamber. Let him get up and do a mea culpa. Let him now say that the opposition has been wrong and that he will now support the legislation. He has been caught red-handed. Either he supports regional and country motorists not having to pay higher fuel prices at the bowser due to this legislation or he does not. It is black and white. They have been found out for their duplicity. What they are trying to do is to further create problems. Why would any party in Australia and this parliament want to prevent small businesses from getting a discount on fuel? Why would they want to prevent the cost of petrol and diesel falling by about 10 per cent after 1 July? Why would they want to say to, for example, a young plumber in my electorate with a Holden ute that he cannot get his fuel price reduced by about 10 per cent after 1 July?

Mr SPEAKER —Order! It being 2 p.m., the debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 101A. The debate may be resumed at a later hour and the member for Indi will have leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed.