Newly elected Independent Senator David Pocock has offered a “refreshing” answer to a question about whether the fuel excise cut should be extended.
The former Wallabies star said he was simply “not sure” when asked whether the cut should continue past September 30 to assist with cost-of-living pressures.
“This is a really tough one,” he replied to Sky News Australia’s Laura Jayes after hesitation.
“Because you’re looking at a commitment from the previous government up against the debt that everyone’s talking about, and getting that balance right.
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“I’m not sure what the answer is there to be honest.”
Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced a temporary six-month halving of the fuel excise tax – which was 44.2 cents per litre – amid soaring petrol prices.
He unveiled the measure in the Federal Budget on March 29 to “provide cost of living relief for those Australians that are paying higher prices at the bowser”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has however ruled out extending the measure, arguing both sides of politics agreed on the matter.
“The former government put in place a time-limited change to the petrol payments,” he told reporters earlier this month.
“Before the election, both sides said they had no plans to increase that further into the future.
“And that’s the circumstances we have to deal with. We can’t do everything we would like to do.”
Mr Albanese also pointed to the $1 trillion of debt his government inherited, which he said must be addressed.
“In the long run if we don’t do something about improving the fiscal position of the budget, the impact on households will just flow on down the track,” he said.
“We do have difficult decisions to make, and we make them with what we have been dealt with.”
Mr Pocock insisted that when the 47th Parliament formally returns on Tuesday there needed to be debate on it.
“I will be consulting widely over the next few weeks but, really those sorts of decisions won’t have to come from the lower house,” he said.
“But certainly there needs to be some debate about it.”
Ms Jayes welcomed the “refreshing” answer, which she said was not that common in Canberra.
“David, that is refreshing because not often you hear someone in this place say ‘I’m not sure’ or ‘I don’t know’ and it’s good to hear sometimes,” she said.
He continued by saying his “commitment” to the people of Australia was to be honest.
“If I don’t know something I will say I don’t know and then I can go learn about it,” he said.
“It’s ridiculous to expect politicians to be across absolutely everything. And to have to come up with some answer that doesn’t answer the question.”
Mr Pocock ousted Liberal Senator Zed Seselja at the May 21 election – with his victory representing a broader shift away from both major political parties.
He said Canberrans were “frustrated” by Labor and the Coalition and were looking for an independent voice to stand up for the ACT on the important issues.
The Zimbabwe-born conservationist was tipped to win the seat since the night of the Federal Election, however Mr Seselja did not concede for several days.
The historic result means the ACT will not have a Liberal representative at a federal level for the first time since 1975.