The Committee recommended that the Bill as presented be supported (ie with revenue hypothecation to roads but the Senate as a whole did not vote to pass the Bill. The report is downloadable from http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Fuel_Indexation_2014/Report/index)
The ALP and Greens voted against the Bill for reasons set out in their dissenting reports (http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Fuel_Indexation_2014/Report/d01 and http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Fuel_Indexation_2014/Report/d02). These reasons, largely to do with the revenues being hypothecated to roads, are supported by the STC, but the STC is concerned that simple rejection in this way carries its own risks.
Roads are not only for cars. Buses run on roads, cyclists use roads and pedestrians use the footpaths on roads. Also freight for delivering goods to shops and businesses rely on roads, as do emergency services and tradesmen for whom there are no reasonable alternatives.
Roads per se are not the problem. The problem is the out of balance expenditure on conventional roads compared to public transport and walking/cycling facilities.
