Dah dah daaarrrrr, errr no not quite. If your park the environmental issues to the side for just one second. You suddenly realise what the oil/Energy companies do makes perfect business sense. For example look at whos sponsoring the sliver technology, there are some excellent alternatives out there. But they quickly get snapped up by the energy sector. It makes sense to protect your investment until the market is ready. Whats upsetting is all our attempts to reduce emissions are wiped out because of gas flaring. If oil majors fixed this, we\’d all be better off. Its a total waste of energy, but they do it because tapping it off is not cost effective.

No conspiracy, but your comment reminded me of that line in the movie cars

we have a huge surplus, I don’t see why the relief on fuel need to be covered by somewhere else. perhaps not completely removing it, but some relief or gradually.

and in fact, the extra cost on fuel is nothing to me. and I didn’t really suggest removing the fuel tax completely, but more tried to tell the fuel tax fact. I am happy to pay tax, but when there is a big surplus, I want the money back, coz I do pay a lot of tax every year!

There are NO GOOD alternatives to oil yet. NONE, No one is hiding anything.

Re Comments about fuel and diesel:

Are you serious weirluo? Do you realise how much of a hole removing the tax on petrol will make, HUGE. Why should people who are frugal and don’t drive much pay for people how want big cars and drive for fun?

well, I admit I have never been worried about fuel/diesel price until yesterday, after I know how much tax is imposed to the pump price.

Each time you pay for fuel, do you think how much you’re paying in tax? For example:
Pump price: 150.9 Cents per litre, (cheapeat in Melbourne today)
Volume purchased: 50 Litres
Total cost: $75.45
***Tax: $25.91!!!!!
Getting rid of tax will give 99.08Cents per litre.

So Rudd, instead of spending extra millions of dollars on fuel watch, why don’t you loose the tax on fuel. I was so blinded to blame the world oil market, but I was wrong. It’s the goverment! I guess the same story can be easily applied to diesel, which is more than 20cents dearer than petrol!

“Whoever invents the next MAJOR fuel source for the automtive world will be the next Bill Gates.”

I used to work in Oil Exploration. I can tell you Oil is not just fuel, its power. The power to buy as many alternative fuel patents as you need!

Notice how the future is split into
Plug in electric or Hydrogen. My money is on plug in electric, because its the only viable solution which breaks the strong hold the oil companies have.

With hydrogen,they still plan to drag you to a station to fill up!! hmmmm do you think the price will suddenly become stable again???

Yes you could produce your own hydrogen at home. But its so expensive and far off, not to mention its a seriously volatile gas which burns without a visible flame.

OK just imagine petrol hits $5 a litre,Will the world end? No.

Everyone will car pool, use public transport, walk or buy a very fuel efficient car or do all of them.

All you “large” people who “need” a big car will suddenly fit quite well in a Honda Jazz.

By the way, at $5 a litre for petrol other technologies may provide cheaper transport. Suddenly an electric car with a 150km range starts to look very attractive.

I look forward to it.

The price of fuel is based around demand and Greed. Remove the demand, the price will drop.
Whoever invents the next MAJOR fuel source for the automtive world will be the next Bill Gates.
I’m not talking Gas, or Hybrids or electrics….
If there are watches that can be powered through contact with the human body, imagine what potentially lies ahead!!??

Its the volatility at the pumps which I think gets peoples’ goat.. I mean, what if stations filled up (refilled) once a week at a rate – say $ X.. If until they needed to refil again, the price didnt move – we would accept it.. Its the fact that Oil increases and before the station owner is able to open his doors, the per litre price jumps immediately… I would be happier if the station purchased the fuel, set a price and we paid that.. Then next week if it went up, he puts the price up a few cents (whatever) to cover that increase – and so on… Yes, it will inevitably incease over time – but least we dont end up queuing for 25 mins on A Tuesday to save between 10 – 15c…

I drive 2 V8s and accept fuel increases as part of that purchase decision.. I just hate seeing the volatility on a daily basis everytime I drive past the same petrol station.

Of course, the government are not to blame for the price – HOWEVER, we all agree they tax the shit out of it!! Why would they WANT to help us by subsidising or removing the tax on tax etc… Cause they make SOOOO much money from it… It SHOULD come back to us by way of improved roads etc etc – but that is debatable…..

My only beef with comments above “buy a smaller car” etc… I am a regular reader of this web site/forum becuase I love cars..I love newer technology (even smaller, ecomomical alternative) – but above all else, I love performance of cars… If we ALL end up driving a Prius – why bother???

One issue, we could all debate for years and get nowhere.