Senator Ian McDonald visits north west Queensland...

Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) senator Ian McDonald is calling on a comprehensive review of the Zone Tax Rebate system to help compensate people living in remote Australia.

Senator McDonald visited drought-affected regional communities while travelling by car from Townsville to be in Canberra parliament on Monday, November 26.

As part of his travels Senator McDonald recorded the price of petrol along the way. He said the price of fuel was 178.9 in Boulia, while it was 158 in Townsville.

“It’s an additional cost of living in these small community  areas,” he said.

Senator McDonald disagrees with Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter’s calls for a royal commission into petrol pricing.

“People have been calling for a review for years,” he said.

“It never achieves anything.”

Senator McDonald said the higher effective cost of living in remote Australia due to lack of services and tyranny of distance must be recognised and mitigated.

By doing so, Senator McDonald said a higher number of people will be attracted to live in remote locations.

“It will help compensate people for a higher cost of living,” he said.

Senator McDonald said the provisions which were put in place for the 1945 amendments to the  Income Tax Assessment Act, no longer amount to appropriate rebates for people.

Senator McDonald said every year he endeavours to drive out west to regional areas in Queensland.

“This is so I have a fair idea about the roads people are driving on and hear from people about the real issues they are facing,” he said.

“Unless you experience the distances yourself, you don’t understand  what it’s like.

“It’s not the same as reading about it.”