Tax and fuel

Thinking about fuel and using my truck as an example depresses me currently. I have a 120 litre fuel tank and currently diesel costs $3.20/L so filling up costs $384 (AUD) and at 15L/100km usage I get about 820km of driving range - in a big country like Australia, and for me, that's about just over a week of driving.

In Australia there's a fuel excise - a fancy way of saying fuel tax. So in my contemplations I thought I'd apply this tax to an after income tax dollar-value to demonstrate the nutbaggery.

• Earned: $100

• Paid in income tax: $33

• Cash in hand: $67

• Purchased: $67 of diesel fuel (incurring 48% in tax)

• Paid in fuel excise: $32.16 + $6.70 GST

• Total Government tax revenue: $71.86

Out of $100 earned in the situation above the government gathers $71.86 in tax.

I generally don't look at the cost of fuel because without it I can't do what I need to do but it's difficult to avoid it at the moment with so much focus on it. I pull in, pump in a pile of fuel, pay and drive away...but it hurts the back pocket currently and that pain is difficult to ignore. Usually, diesel is about $1.70/L so the difference, the additional cost is keenly felt.

What's the situation over your way?

What's the cost of diesel and unleaded fuel, does your government apply an excise/tax? How are you working to reduce the cost per kilometre through driving practices or changing your schedule and vehicle usage? Comment if you want.