I found this on a forum. It seems to NOT be a widely known fact. I'm thinking, if it's true, then we should be advising our riders? Cate:-)
Vic Roads rego, little hidden cost - 17/05/2013
I thought I'd post this as not a lot of people know about it and it only applies to people who have 2 or more registered motorcycles.
They don't tell you about the TAC tax exemption but I'm in the process of registering another bike with Vic roads and I knew it applies. I asked VicRoads and was told no, but the woman wasn't sure. She said she would find out and come back, which she did and said, yes I am correct!!!
So, many years ago, the Govt and VicRoads and TAC added an additional $50 on all Vic roads registrations on motorcycles. It's hidden in your rego bill. You may recall the outcry, but as all Aussies, we whinge and complain and in the end , do sweet FA about it and let it pass and put up with it .
What VicRoads don't tell you (unless you ask) is that if you register another bike in your name, you don't have to pay the tax on the second bike. It only applies to one bike. You could have 10 bikes , but you only pay the tax once.
A lot of people don't know this, they wont apply it, so in the end, if you register 2 bikes, you will pay the fee unknowingly.
So if you do go into register another bike, tell VicRoads you have another bike registered and to waive the TAC fee of $50 (now over $70 - DC) they apply on all bikes.
I would also be making sure if you are have another bike registered under your wife's name, or partner, put it in your name as you are paying them that extra for no reason.
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G'day Cate.
My understanding, from memory, is that you only have to pay the TAC tax on bikes over a certain number of CC's and only on the first machine registered. Most riders do not know this and getting a refund is very tricky.
The tax is not easy to find on TAC or VicRoads websites. It is only mentioned in the small print on your rego form as a "safety Levy" presumably so they won't get too many complaints for charging as much for an environmentally-friendly vehicle as for a polluting, road-blocking 4WD/SUV. If a business added a charge like this to their bills there would be an upset. If it's not illegal I reckon it's unethical but VicRoads gets away with it.
Yes. the Independent Riders' Group should publicise this to benefit riders by minimising the TAC/VicRoads rip off.
Anyone who has more detailed knowledge of the way the TAC tax is taken and how to get a refund, please pass it on to Cate and Leah for the facebook pages.
As I remember it, the riders who conspired with the Bracks Government to slip in a discriminatory $50 a year TAC tax, with the state budget in 2002(?) had not thought through the consequences. Consultation with stakeholders was all but non-existant. The TAC tax was in line with departmental policies not to do anything to encourage the use of motorcycles & scooters. Zealots at TAC/VicRoads/Police took that to mean discourage the use of motorcycles & scooters. This unfair tax was warmly welcomed by the bureaucrats and the rider reps who supported it so they could have their own little budget to play with on government committees.
At the start, the TAC rip off was on ALL bikes over 125cc(?). This meant that people with more than one bike paid more. The well-heeled would pay more than low-income riders who could only afford 1 bike. Since many of the riders who made excuses for the TAC tax had multiple machines this would not do at all.
A review of the TAC tax was a sham. Consultation with stakeholders was confined to government picked reps.
I heard that behind closed doors negotiations led to TAC/VicRoads limiting the tax to the first bike only. TAC/VicRoads were not happy but they wanted to keep these particular rider reps on side so the change was allowed. Publicity was minimal. Around this time, perhaps 2005/6, the TAC tax was indexed so it increased each year in the budget. It is now over $70 a year and rising.
You don't think the establishment would try to tax motorcycles & scooters of our roads?
Some of rider reps kow tow to the establishment. In my opinion this happened with the introduction of the TAC tax. Human nature unfortunately. It's happened before. Look at the reaction of the Federation of Australian Motorcyclists' (FAM NSW) to the problems at Bathurst. The history of the Easter bike races at Bathurst is a long story. I should write a book on it. Maybe Hirsty will give me a hand?
The short story on Bathurst is that in the 1970s, Easter was the Australian bike event. 10,000 riders, from all over Australia, camped on Mount Panorama. The town's folk loved us. The powers that be hated us. The race organisers were gutless and some riders who were not "on the mountain" sold out. Police bused in young storm troopers from all over the state.
Police tried to prevent the MRAs from providing first aid, entertainment and legal advice to the victims of police baton charges and unfair arrests. We did anyway.
Police policy alternated yearly. When they patrolled in pairs and talked to people there was a bit of rowdy behaviour but no real problems. When they brought the riot gear, as in 1979, '81 and '83, and banned journos from reporting activities there was the so-called riot. But, until 1981, the only info most reporters got was police spin. FAM swallowed it hook line and stinker.
One give away on police attitude to bike riders at Bathurst in those days was the registration plates on two new police cars brought in for the occasion. The plates read PIG 1 AND PIG 2!
Have a look at what the rider rep from FAM published in the July 1981 issue of Two Wheels. I doubt Peter Matthews or any of the race organisers were ever on the mountain at night.
The reply is by the Bear, Peter Thoeming.
Bathurst stopped in 1985 when police took their riot gear up the mountain for the last time.
Anyway the point is that the TAC tax was introduced because a couple of riders put their interests and pet theories ahead of what was wanted and/or needed by grass roots motorcycle and scooter riders. No consultation.
The only way to protect against this sort of undermining behaviour is "people power". We need more riders to join the IRG and we need more IRG members to go see their MPs and demand that Premier Napthine honour his promise and adopt the PIMSS recommendation to abolish the TAC tax (even if it is now taken for the first registered bike only.
www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/abolish-tac-antibike-tax.html
Go see your MP!
Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
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The reason the TAC tax started at 125 cc was Australia Post were in consultation with the bureaucrats at the time. AP was screaming blue murder that postie bikes at 110 cc should be exempt.
An exemption was made!
Dale Robert Maggs
Mob 0432 776 458
@convictstock
Independent Riders Group
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