The Central Energy Fund

There are two funds established by the Central Energy Fund Act 1977. One is the Central Energy Fund and the other is the Equalisation Fund. They receive money from various sources.

The CEF utilises its funds for the financing and promotion of:

• the acquisition and exploitation of coal, and the manufacture of fuel, oil and other products from coal;
• the acquisition, generation, manufacture, marketing and distribution of other forms of energy; and
• research.

The Equalisation Fund, basically, is utilised to finance the purchasing of crude oil or petroleum products.

A proportion of our everyday fuel bill goes to the Funds. What happens is that the Minister of Energy, in concurrence with the Minister of Finance, either by notice published in the Government Gazette or served on someone personally, imposes a levy on every litre of petrol, paraffin, aviation fuel, LP gas (and other derivative type products) manufactured, distributed or sold by the undertaking.¹

1. Any person who fails to comply with any provision of a notice imposing a levy on fuel and setting out the manner of utilisation and investment of such levy, commits an offence.²

2. Any person who refuses to comply with a reasonable demand for information, made by the person responsible for the collection of the levy according to such a notice (or an officer of the CEF, or the Department of Energy) also commits an offence.³
3. Anyone who resists, or obstructs any such person or officer in the performance of his duties commits an offence.⁴
4. Anyone who discloses, or allows the publication of any information in respect of the levy, to an unauthorised person, also commits an offence.⁵