“Earlier this year the Coalition blocked Labor’s proposed increased registration charges in the Senate but come July the Coalition will lose control of the Senate so there is a great risk that these bills will be reintroduced into the new Senate and then implemented.

“Australia relies on the transport industry to provide us with our everyday needs.

“Our local transport industry provides huge employment opportunities and with the costs of fuel continually rising and a shortage in available labour, the industry has been struggling.

“This attempted hit on our local small businesses is inexcusable.”

Mrs Hull said in February Labor announced it was increasing truck and bus registration charges, in some cases by more than 200 per cent.

It also decided to force up diesel fuel excise for 350,000 heavy vehicles from 19.6 to 21 cents per litre from January 1, 2009.

Mrs Hull said diesel fuel excise would be indexed every year at rates above the cost of inflation, which was the first time it had been indexed since the Coalition abolished it in 2001.

“I just cannot understand how the Labor government is apparently concerned on one hand with the rising cost of food and groceries, and on the other hand introduces these new taxes, among others, as part of the Budget announcement to push up these prices.