Talk:Australian PM Howard under fire over AU$1.40/L pump prices

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I don't quite understand something. If Queensland is subsidizing the petrol prices, that means they are paying to lower them, doesn't it ? So they are adding taxes and paying to lower the price at the same time ? That seems silly, if true. StuRat 17:10, 7 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

One obvious omission is the actual amount of taxes and percentage of the overall price. StuRat 17:10, 7 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]
Might I suggest a pic of an Aussie petrol price sign ? That's extra credit for you if you take it yourself ! StuRat 17:10, 7 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

The Federal government takes the petrol excise, and (I assume from the article) that the Queensland State government subsidises. So yes, the two taxes are working against each other. I suppose it is happening because Queensland is more sensitive to petrol prices because it has a larger rural sector.

Good idea on the picture of the petrol price sign. I'll see what I can get on the way home. - Borofkin 00:27, 8 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

I planned on taking one this afternoon, but I'm in Queensland so we don't get the high petrol prices which you would expect in a photo for an article like this because of the state government subsidy I mentioned :). Dorian Gray 06:58, 8 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]
That could still work, with a caption like "Lower prices in Queensland, due to state subsidy". StuRat 15:20, 8 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Unclear language[edit]

I've figured out what was so unclear about the article. It said:

"criticism of Queensland Premier Peter Beattie"

When it really meant:

"criticism by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie"

This led me to wonder why Beattie was being criticised, if he was subsidizing the petrol prices. I made the correction. StuRat 15:30, 8 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]