CHange of FBT rates for salary packaged cars

[Ducati888]

It says in the Herald Sun today that the Greens are pushing for changes to the FBT rates on salary packaged cars.

They want to push for a flat rate of 20% FBT regardless of k's travelled.

I agree that the salary packaging of cars is counter productive in many cases, because it encourages people to drive more so that they can get to the target of 25,000 k's per annum so that FBT is 11% (and over 40,000K's it's 7% I think), and in doing so burn more packaged pre-tax fuel to get there.

I have the opportunity to package if I want to, but can't see how it's financially viable when I already have a good car that I only use for around 7 - 8K km per year.

But enough about me. What I'd really like to see, is the ability to package motorcycles & scooters because surely some incentive to get people out of 1 up commuting to the office would be a good idea? It would work out cheaper than public transport too.

For example, I have a Ducati 900SS which I own outright, commute twice a week 27km each way, it uses 5L per 100km, and I can park it anywhere. If I could package a bike, I'd buy a brand new MV Agusta F3, get similar fuel economy and still be able to park it anywhere, but would actually assist the bike industry in purchasing a brand new bike, something I've never done. I've owned a lot of bikes, but never a brand newy.

Surely any new system, particularly one driven by the Greens, should be geared to reduce the number of cars on the road as well as the fuel used.

I am not interested in commuting in traffic one up in a car. I find that to be completely futile and pointless, and I leave that for the rats.