Promoting smart travel through tax policy

This article discusses the need for the Australian Government to explore smart commuting policies due to the impact of using passenger motor vehicles on negative transport externalities, such as congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, health and safety, energy security and economic prosperity. The lac...

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Main Authors: Pearce, Prafula, Hodgson, Helen
Format: Journal Article
Published: Taxation Institue of Australia 2015
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14879
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author Pearce, Prafula
Hodgson, Helen
author_facet Pearce, Prafula
Hodgson, Helen
author_sort Pearce, Prafula
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This article discusses the need for the Australian Government to explore smart commuting policies due to the impact of using passenger motor vehicles on negative transport externalities, such as congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, health and safety, energy security and economic prosperity. The lack of tax incentives and the convenience of parking facilities provided by employers are barriers to the adoption of travel smart choices. This article explores the tax constraints that hinder smart commuting and examines how a subsidy for smart commuting can be provided through tax policy changes, especially the fringe benefits tax. In the authors’ opinion, the Australian Government should follow the example of other countries that are using taxation as a tool to promote alternative travelling initiatives, such as the transit program in the United States, the Cycle to Work Alliance in the United Kingdom, and the income tax exemption in Ireland.
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publishDate 2015
publisher Taxation Institue of Australia
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-148792017-01-30T11:46:35Z Promoting smart travel through tax policy Pearce, Prafula Hodgson, Helen This article discusses the need for the Australian Government to explore smart commuting policies due to the impact of using passenger motor vehicles on negative transport externalities, such as congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, health and safety, energy security and economic prosperity. The lack of tax incentives and the convenience of parking facilities provided by employers are barriers to the adoption of travel smart choices. This article explores the tax constraints that hinder smart commuting and examines how a subsidy for smart commuting can be provided through tax policy changes, especially the fringe benefits tax. In the authors’ opinion, the Australian Government should follow the example of other countries that are using taxation as a tool to promote alternative travelling initiatives, such as the transit program in the United States, the Cycle to Work Alliance in the United Kingdom, and the income tax exemption in Ireland. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14879 Taxation Institue of Australia fulltext
spellingShingle Pearce, Prafula
Hodgson, Helen
Promoting smart travel through tax policy
title Promoting smart travel through tax policy
title_full Promoting smart travel through tax policy
title_fullStr Promoting smart travel through tax policy
title_full_unstemmed Promoting smart travel through tax policy
title_short Promoting smart travel through tax policy
title_sort promoting smart travel through tax policy
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14879