triman
23-08-2007, 02:20 PM
From today's Herald Sun
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22293129-5005961,00.html
THE idea that the Federal Government would tax recreational fishing tackle was nonsense, Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz said today.
The Government has given a recreational fishing group, RecFish Australia, almost $200,000 to explore how a tackle tax could be introduced.
On the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's website is a document revealing the $198,680 grant will be used to "explore the issues that need to be addressed on the concept of levies for the establishment of a secure, reliable and independent revenue stream from recreational fishers".
The money was provided under the $15 million Recreational Fishing Community Grants Program.
RecFish Australia has also been ordered to investigate other possible funding options for recreational fishing.
But a spokesman for Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz said such a tax had already been ruled out despite the minister having not yet received RecFish's final report.
"That was one option that they explored but I understand they themselves have ruled that proposal out," the spokesman said.
"I can also categorically assure you that the Federal Government will not, has not and never will be supporting a tax on recreational fishing."
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22293129-5005961,00.html
THE idea that the Federal Government would tax recreational fishing tackle was nonsense, Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz said today.
The Government has given a recreational fishing group, RecFish Australia, almost $200,000 to explore how a tackle tax could be introduced.
On the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's website is a document revealing the $198,680 grant will be used to "explore the issues that need to be addressed on the concept of levies for the establishment of a secure, reliable and independent revenue stream from recreational fishers".
The money was provided under the $15 million Recreational Fishing Community Grants Program.
RecFish Australia has also been ordered to investigate other possible funding options for recreational fishing.
But a spokesman for Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz said such a tax had already been ruled out despite the minister having not yet received RecFish's final report.
"That was one option that they explored but I understand they themselves have ruled that proposal out," the spokesman said.
"I can also categorically assure you that the Federal Government will not, has not and never will be supporting a tax on recreational fishing."