ARTICLE: Motorists are treated like cash cows, says LNP leader Campbell Newman

[#Metro]

OK, Maybe I was wrong... REALLY wrong!

Aaaargh!!!

http://www.couriermail.com.au/money/money-matters/motorists-are-treated-like-cash-cows-says-lnp-leader-campbell-newman/story-fn3hskur-1226062229451

Of course with all of your tolls Mr Newman... look in the mirror!

VEHICLE registration charges would be frozen under a Liberal-National government to help ease cost-of-living pressures.

LNP leader Campbell Newman yesterday said the registration freeze would save motorists from inflation hikes that would pump an extra $40 million annually into the Bligh Government's coffers.

The LNP has moved to block a regulation in Parliament that would allow registration to be increased in line with inflation but would introduce the freeze measure if elected.

Mr Newman's policy has been recycled from an identical plan outlined by previous leader John-Paul Langbroek during a Budget reply speech

[#Metro]

Mr Newman said the Government wasn't spending a "realistic" amount of money on roads anyway and there were huge infrastructure issues across Queensland.

"This is a Government that is anti-road building," he said.

OMG!!! Forget about bags of concrete, this person is going to set up a concrete factory by the sound of it!!
Makes a lot of engineering and consultancy companies very rich... not much in the way of frequent services on the ground though.

[Jonno]

.. and out comes "Can Do The Wrong Thing" Campbell's true colours!!!!!! He will run PT into obscurity! ROADS ROADS ROADS ROADS ROADS ROADS ROADS ROADS

[Zoiks]

Sigh... I knew this was coming.

Do we have another Abbott? Abbott claimed that we should promote car ownership because you cant have public transport from everywhere to everywhere

[Golliwog]

Sigh... I knew this was coming.

Do we have another Abbott? Abbott claimed that we should promote car ownership because you cant have public transport from everywhere to everywhere

Ownership is one thing, but usage is another. I'll agree that you'll never feasibly have a PT network with transport from everywhere to everywhere else and that yes you will need to use the private car for some trips. But you can still (IMO anyway) cater for a large proportion of trips with PT. When you can't then you use park n' rides to make it convenient for those past the end of the route.

[Zoiks]

exactly

[#Metro]

Do we have another Abbott? Abbott claimed that we should promote car ownership because you cant have public transport from everywhere to everywhere

It never ceases to amaze me the neanderthal comments that come out of our supposedly well advise politicians.

What next? Bring back horse and cart because petrol is too high and grass is cheaper?

[colinw]

Ok, so "Tunnels" Newman wants to effectively subsidise private motorists by freezing rego. What is his position on the 15% annual TransLink fare rises?  Is he going to also freeze those?

I am not particularly surprised by this.  Nothing he did as Lord Mayor leads me to believe he has any interest in promoting public transport.

[colinw]

Here's the Government Response:

http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=74932

[colinw]

I'm not sure I trust Fraser's figures either.  Here is a very rough estimate.

The most recent vehicle census (2010) shows approximately 3.3 million vehicles registered in Queensland.

The non-CTP components of registration are:

4 cylinder car:
Traffic Improvement Fee: $47.15, Registration: $270.30 -> $317.45

6 cylinder car:
Traffic Improvement Fee: $47.15, Registration: $428.05 -> $475.20

8 cylinder car:
Traffic Improvement Fee: $47.15, Registration: $599.35 -> $646.50

Single seat motorcycle:
Traffic Improvement Fee: $47.15, Registration: $94.05 -> $141,20

Truck & bus rego starts around $700 + CTP and rises from there.

I do not include CTP in further calculations, as that goes to insurers, not the Government.

According to the 2010 census, trucks, buses, etc., account for approximately 4% of registered vehicles.  Motorcycles are a further 4% or so.  Around 15% are small commercial vehicles (vans) which fall under the 4.5T and thus are registered as cars.

I am assuming that 4 cylinder cars make up about 60% of car registrations, 6 cylinder another 30%.  This is based on the only data I can easily find, which is from the ACT.

Assuming 3.5 million vehicles in QLD, let's break them down as:

3,150,000 (90%) are private cars & light commercial vehicles:
4 cylinder cars (60%): 1,890,000 @ $317.45 -> $599,980,500
6 cylinder cars (30%): 945,000 @ $475.20 -> $448,875,000
8 cylinders (10%): 315,000 @ $646.50 -> $206,797,500
(I'm ignoring more than 8 cylinders)

175,000 (5%) are motorcycles:
Motorcycles: 175,000 @ $141.20 -> $24,710,000

175,000 (5%) are trucks & buses.  I have no idea of fleet breakdown, so I'm assuming $1000 each.
Heavy vehicles: 175,000 * $1000 -> $175,000,000

Total: $1,455,363,000

Let's say $1.5 billion

Current CPI is about 3.3%.  3.3% of $1.5 billon is $49,500,000

So, assuming my estimate of truck registration isn't way off, freezing rego will wipe about $50 million off Government income per year, or $150 million over 3 years.

This is MORE than Newman claims, but less than Fraser claims.

Of course my calculation above could be wrong, although I don't think it is too bad.

EDIT: the above estimate is looking fairly good.  According to the 2010 QLD Budget Revenue Statement motor vehicle registration accounted for $1.311 billion of Government revenue.

I see no way that Fraser can be credible in claiming that freezing registration will cost $226 million over 3 years, unless of course the Government is planning on a major INCREASE in registration (not a bad thing IMHO, enough of this private vehicle madness).

This exchange just proves how intellectually & morally bankrupt the entire political debate in QLD has become.  Both sides are playing fast & loose with the facts.

[#Metro]

So what is the benefit to society of this measure   again???

What is the largest cost component of owning a car? Is it petrol?

[colinw]

None whatosever.  Sadly it will get far more press airtime than, for example, the Government & LNP's ineptitude & bastardry over the Sunshine Coast line.

NO WAY should Campbell be promising to freeze rego.  But the Government needs to be honest in combating him. Fraser's press release is not.

[somebody]

Ownership is one thing, but usage is another. I'll agree that you'll never feasibly have a PT network with transport from everywhere to everywhere else and that yes you will need to use the private car for some trips. But you can still (IMO anyway) cater for a large proportion of trips with PT. When you can't then you use park n' rides to make it convenient for those past the end of the route.

That's true, but there are such things as taxis and rental cars.

[ozbob]

Treasurer and Minister for State Development and Trade
The Honourable Andrew Fraser
26/05/2011

Newman's first costing 'a shocker': rego costing out by more than $100M

Campbell Newman has continued the tradition of LNP leaders with zero financial credibility after recycling John-Paul Langbroek's rego promise and using the same incorrect costings, Treasurer Andrew Fraser said.

The Treasurer said Mr Newman's pledge to freeze rego for an entire term would cost taxpayers $226 million - more than double the $107 million* cost he claimed publicly.

"As far as mistakes go, this is a shocker. His estimate is less than a half of the true cost," Mr Fraser said.

"No wonder Campbell Newman's responsible for a tunnel that's in receivership, a bike hire scheme that collects dust and a bridge that gets more use from pigeons than motorists.

"Campbell Newman hasn't built anything that doesn't have a toll or cost people money. He'd put a toll on your driveway at home if he could.

"It appears that no amount of nicknames and slogans can make up for Mr Newman's shoddy financial management."

Mr Fraser said when yearly growth, regular CPI increases and cumulative impacts are taken into account, the true cost of Campbell Newman's pledge is $226 million.

"The saddest thing is, Mr Newman didn't even come up with this himself - he stole it off John-Paul Langbroek, and even used the same incorrect costings Mr Langbroek used last year**.

"Mr Newman said he'd be different to Mr Langbroek. Between the continued LNP infighting, the press conference tantrums and now this, Campbell Newman looks like nothing more than John-Paul Langbroek with a nickname."

The Treasurer said that for every dollar the Government receives from rego, almost three times that amount is spent on road infrastructure.

"Last year the Government collected $1.3 billion in rego. The Main Roads budget is $3.27 billion.

"The argument that the money goes to consolidated revenue and is never seen again is ridiculous."

Mr Fraser said the reality was that Mr Newman at some point would have to be accountable for his big spending promises.

"Not only has he got the costing wrong, but he hasn't said where any of the money would come from.

"Mr Newman's nickname will only carry him so far before he realises he has to deliver on costed policies not just more hollow, tricky promises."

*Seven News, 24/5/11

**4BC, 10/6/10

Smith: Hang on; you're going to freeze it, right? So how much less revenue will you have that as a result of the freeze?

Langbroek: $37 and a half million a year.

==============================================================

[SurfRail]

When you can't then you use park n' rides to make it convenient for those past the end of the route.

Which is borderline acceptable when you have a route that ends somewhere that is currently in semi-whoop-whoop like the P546 (Park Ridge pnr) or the Gold Coast stadium pnrs, but probably not so much for places like the Klumpp Road one.  Even Parkinson is borderline...