These are the grant winners so far. Only $24.6m has been paid out, with a second and final round being called next week for the remaining $13 mill.


Of the biodiesel projects, only one has demonstrated experience with making and selling biodiesel (that's Biodiesel Industries Australia who received the smallest allotment). Also of interest is that this was the only biodiesel project that wasn't affiliated with Big Oil (Biodiesel Producers allegedly have an ex $hell board member, and Australian Renewable Fuels are affiliated with Mobil).

And Big Oil are fighting to get the maximum allowable level of biodiesel in diesel limited to 5%.

I just got off the phone to Helen Coonan's office. I was trying to find out if there was any reconsideration going on about having an exemption for homemade biodiesel.

I was directed back to the Canberra office where there was a person (David) that was handling the issue. That sounded rather promising, someone was actually looking at the issue.

I asked if there was going to be any movement in regards to the issue the answer was "NO".

The "no" was not said with a concilatory tone of voice, nor was there any tinge of regret in the voice - it was said with the tone of "f--k you" in the voice.

And to think my taxes pay the wages of these people.

Well, I just got a response from Ian MacFarlane’s office. Most of the letter is political filler about how “The Government is strongly committed to encouraging the development of a viable biofuels industry as evidenced by the measures it has announced to support the production and use of biofuels in Australia……”

Finally in the last paragraph the letter gets around to the new “reason” (yes folks, the goal posts were moved again) as to why the excise regime should apply to homemade biodiesel. It states,

“Senator Helen Coonan, has publicly stated, it is the Government’s view that the excise status for small-scale biodiesel production cannot be compared with the excise treatment of home brewed beer. A more valid comparison is to other fuels that compete with biodiesel. There is no excise exemption for non-commercial, small-scale production of conventional fuels. Furthermore, as Senator Coonan has pointed out, although there is an exemption for home brewed beer, there is no exemption for the distillation of spirits, which is illegal without a license.”

Forgetting for the moment the irritating sophistry of political double-talk, let’s just use the Senator’s argument as our own.

1.A more valid comparison is with fuels that compete with biodiesel.
2.No exemption for non-commercial conventional fuels.
3.No exemption for distillation of spirits.
4.There is however an exemption for non-distilled home brewed beer.

And the argument becomes –
1.All conventional fuels use a distillation process.
2.Spirits also use a distillation process.
3.There is an exemption for home brewed NON-DISTILLED beer.
4.Biodiesel is a home brewed, NON-DISTILLED fuel.
5.Homemade biodiesel is analogous to home made beer and should be exempt.

I will write the new Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, the Hon Mal Brough MP and see is he wants to go with the Coonan logic or he is going to take a fresh stab at it himself.

Here in the other WA (Washington State, usa), I'm paying about $0.58usd/gallon for distilled water. My clothes iron needs it, as do my batteries.
Cheers,
JohnO
perhaps it's best if this enormous loophole not be mentioned to your "representative".

The Government places impediments to the production of biodiesel, but then freaks out and orders a review of the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act.

MacFarlane ordered it -

Review

Here is a link to the Act itself. Note that it refers to refined petroleum fuel. Any bets that the review will include biodiesel in the Act?

Liquid Fuel Emergency Act

I can see that the Act can designate who gets fuel and who doesn't. It would be kinda nice to be outside the jurisdiction of the Act, but since nobody in Australia is making homemade biodiesel anymore that option doesn't exist

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Terry Syd,

It figures -

ANDREW FOWLER: The energy white paper – "Securing Australia's Energy Future" – was released this year and detractors immediately accused the plan of being fossil fuel focused.

LETAG's composition was dominated by fossil fuel energy users and producers. They worked directly with the Government to develop the energy plan. It was something that the Government was not keen to publicise.

According to notes taken by one of the executives during a LETAG meeting the Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane stressed the need for absolute confidentiality. The Minister saying that if the renewables industry found out there would be a huge outcry.

The full article is here ABC article

The Labor Party has still not finalised their energy policy. I have contacted Joel Fitzgibbon's office and made my case for homemade biodiesel. They indicated that the policy before the election will be very general, so there may not be much meat in the pre-election policy statement - however, it is what happens AFTER the election that is important.

I have sent them further documentation. It would be good if others gave them a nudge. Here is a link:

Labor Policy

I have been advised that Labor will take a look at the homemade biodiesel issue IF it gets in. At least they will take a fresh look at it - that's better than the Liberal attitude of f--k you.

The Democrates have a 10 point renewable energy plan. Point 10 reads -

"10. Remove excise and the requirement for expensive testing of small scale 'backyard' biodiesel production, providing the fuel is for personal use."

Perhaps a vote for Democrats or Greens with a backup of preferences to the Labor Party would be be the most favourable vote for backyard biodiesel.

That is a good option, in my electorate (Canning), the Greens candidate has a poor chance of getting more than 10%, but the preferences do matter, Canning is a 2% marginal seat held by the Liberals.

The news from Oz is not good. It looks like the Liberal Party has been returned to power. This will mean that:
* Australia will NOT sign the Kyoto Protocol
* Home Brew biodiesel producers will need to pay excise or face prosecution for evasion of excise and production of biodiesel without a licence.
* There will be no reduction in GHG emissions from Australia in the next 4 years. They will continue to grow ar many times the National growth rate.
* The lies which were told to Australians before Australia followed the USA into Iraq can only get worse. Which country will be next? France, Germany, Spain?
I had better get off this subject, I am starting to "Vent"
Commiserations to All Australians. Unfortunately, we will get the Government that the majority of Australians deserve.
I remain in the minority.

I stood in line waiting to vote and looked around at the people standing with me. Most appeared to be the kind that only needed a 15 second sound bite and a "how to vote" card. The uninformed, voting for the unworthy.

With Peak Oil coming down the tracks at ever increasing speed, this is gonna get ugly.

Protect yourself, nobody else will.

DOOM DOOM DOOM
Why do I feel like Frodo entering the mines of Moria? WTF are my countryman thinking? Control of the Senate too? Dirty tricks and scaremongering wins AGAIN? After the exposure of the corruption of the children overboard Iraq etc?

retreating (intothebush)pig

Hey Bush Pig, did you ever read about the PAM? Now THAT was real "Dirty trick and scaremongering".

If you get to the relocation camp before I do, how about trying to save me a good bed.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Terry Syd:
If you get to the relocation camp before I do, how about trying to save me a good bed.

---

I think I'll be a long term inmate of the re-education camp myself..... and I think you will too so how about u bags me a bunk?

There will be no good beds for us quasi criminals once we have left the shelter of the "mums & dads" classification. We will then be undeserving of any consideration along with petty criminals, mentally ill, drug addicts, migrants, mossleems, rad(ic)al revoulutionarys and tearorricts. Don't bother to take anything with you on the journey; they will take it off u before u get on the cattle trucks...

pig of the dogmatic independant thought movement

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Thebushpig,

Tony its time to shut down the website and batten down the hatches me thinks.... The wind now blows to give free rein to ATO on fuel. The economy and positive budgets demand it.

You do not need to tangle with the tax department or make yourself a target in any way, veggie or not.

A good lawyer on his best day can only slow them down..... trust me on this.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Thebushpig,

This might sound like a big ask of anyone in Australia, but perhaps a bit of contact with the ATO at this time might help Australia in the long run.

With "Peak Oil" beginning to have effects on the economy, perhaps the ATO will begin to understand that we need every drop of liquid fuel we can muster. Any piece of legislation that would impede the production of biodiesel MUST have a compelling rational basis for it's existence, otherwise it is just sleazy politics that will work to the detriment of the common good.

Ron Hutson from ATO has asked some questions about the ATO's system on biodiesel and whether this might have a chilling effect on the production of biodiesel. If you give him an email, please be nice. He is not the one that made up this ridiculous scheme, but he might be one of the good guys to help fix things from the inside. Here is his request (to contact him, copy and paste his email address into your email response)

Feedback sought on Biodiesel excise legislation by Australian Tax Office
I am currently undertaking research to evaluate the impact of business processes adopted by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as a result of the recent Biodiesel legislation. As part of this review, I am seeking feedback from members of the biodiesel community about whether our administration of these measures has had any detrimental effect upon biodiesel production, or if the ATO can improve upon the methods we employed to improve our client relationships. Such feedback will be incorporated into developing improved products and services to meet future client needs.

I am particularly interested in any opinions as to whether ATO administrative practices for biodiesel are regarded as having any impact upon meeting the Government's policy intent(s) in announcing these measures, ie -

- to encourage production of cleaner fuels,
- to establish a sustainable taxation framework for fuels, and
- to support production of biofuels and provide a stable, long term climate for investment in biofuels production.

Any feedback is most welcome and will be treated with the strictest confidentiality. If you would like to comment, I can be contacted at ron.hutson@ato.gov.au or alternately by telephone on (07) 3213 5351. Thank you for your submissions.

I have just received a reply from the ATO for the information that I sent them.

Hi terry,

Thank you for responding. I have examined the information supplied and will take these views on board.

On another matter brought up at the 2004 Biodiesel Forum, Cameron Little referred to a protest by 70 people writing letters to the ATO protesting biodiesel issues who never received any acknowledgement. Was this part of the BEER campaign ?? I have checked with the area administering these matters and they say that they did not receive any written complaints.

Incredulous as it may sound, the Commissioner of Taxation has been a strong advocate of listening to the community for many years. Whilst policy intent and legislation may be the mandate of Government & Treasury, the ATO is quite sincerely interested in receiving all forms of feedback as a means of improving our service delivery to clients.

I thank you for your contribution.

Ron Hutson
Excise

quote:

---

Originally posted by Terry Syd:
perhaps the ATO will begin to understand that we need every drop of liquid fuel we can muster.

---

Terry, you are undoubtably a brave man, tested on the field of battle, in more ways than one.. However my analysis of the ATO, well meaning individuals within notwithstanding, is that the whole system is set up to get the most amount of money under respective legislation as it can. Doesn't care about peak oil, Terry or his views, bushpig or his experiments or the wheat farmer who could grow his own fuel and therefore compete more efficiently on the world market. I take it as confirmation of that view when you are replied to in what I call "departmental double talk".

I have been campagning with myself for some time now to become less Quixotical and more pragmatic. However I am considering what response to the ATO would compliment their bottom line, or at least not detract from it, in answering your call. At this time I can conceive of little.

It would be different of course if Federal Governemnt had legislated to domestically confirm the kyoto agreement whereupon we might have had some legislative basis for our submissions....

Your thoughts on this and any other subject are always welcome.

pensive pig

BP, brave? as I get older my conservatism has overtaken my previous foolishness. Your post reminded me of what an old digger told me; "I was only scared once in my life, that was between 1941 and 1945".

I am in touch with Ron Hutson. He only has a temporary brief in the matter for one month. He was given the task because he had no previous connection with the issue.

He has stated to me that the ATO has simplified the record keeping for homemade biodiesel producers. I have asked him to send me the new information and I will post it here so everyone can see it.

If you want to make comment on it, but don't want the ATO to know you exist, you can always send your comments to me and I will forward them. If you want to avail yourself to this approach, I suggest you form your comments in a way that doesn't disclose that you may be making biodiesel at present.

I have already made myself visable by appearing on television, so they know I exist.

Having said that, I do not trust them. I do not have any material at home to make biodiesel and I do not have any biodiesel in my vehicle.

I agree with Bush Pig that the ATO, politicians and other bureaucrats do not care about issues like "Peak Oil". However, it appeared to me that this may be one of the strongest arguments we have for the existence of a homemade biodiesel industry.

The waste oil collection companies only send a few employees around to the most accessable shops with the most oil. The homemade biodiesel industry can enlist an army of thousands to gather up all the small quantities that would be poured down the drain or sent to a landfill.

This is something the government should encourage.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Terry Syd:
I am in touch with Ron Hutson. He only has a temporary brief in the matter for one month. He was given the task because he had no previous connection with the issue.

He has stated to me that the ATO has simplified the record keeping for homemade biodiesel producers. I have asked him to send me the new information and I will post it here so everyone can see it.

---

The main impediment to home made BioD, as I see it, is the requirement for testing, as I understand other posts here @ $2,500.00 a pop.

This is good as it puts into perspective the alternatives one might, without saying too much, convert to...

It is bad in that it is a way of stopping people making it legally. Let's face it Terry, thats what it is meant to do under the thinly veiled guise of "regulation".

When Mr Ron Hutson tells me that testing is no longer required I will take him seriously, and I intend to contact him with that very question. While I do not admit to putting BioD in my vehicle I am making small batches experimentally as it were. If the ATO wants money from Home brewers, which frankly it doesn't care about, the process would be much simpler and cheaper. The legislation aims to stop us as the large company is easier to deal with and, while the amount we contribute is nothing, the amount companies contribute is large and they have the inner running on this issue. They want us shut down... we effectively are... The rest is "mere puffery".

as with gun laws, and at the whim of big oil, the government with a stroke of the pen has turned honest law abiding citizens into offenders...

Pig tottering off his soap box