CANBERRA: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing calls from within his own party to temporarily abolish fuel taxes in order to solve the country's record-high costs. As a result of increased global oil costs, the price of unleaded petrol has risen to over Australian Dollar 2.2 (USD 1.6) per litre across the country, up from around 1.7 previously, according to reports.

In the face of the rise, Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg have been encouraged to reduce the fuel excise, a flat tax on the sale of gasoline that is presently 44 cents per litre, to relieve cost-of-living pressures.

Susan McDonald, a Queensland senator, joined calls for the excise tax to be decreased on Monday, calling it the "basic instrument" available to handle the situation. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation paraphrased her as saying, "The idea of halting the gasoline excise, or a portion of it, I think is something that we're going to have to look at." "We simply can't afford to absorb the pricing we're looking at right now," she explained.

Morrison said on Sunday that any measure to decrease the excise tax will be included in the federal budget, which he and Frydenberg are due to deliver later this month. With a general election coming up in May, Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar admitted on Sunday that the cost of living was a major concern.

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