Diesel shake-up could hit big miners, help small firms

Capping diesel rebates for miners could reduce Australia's reliance on imported fuel, report says. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Capping a multibillion-dollar rebate on diesel fuel could boost Australia's budget and reduce its reliance on increasingly costly imported fuel, a report has found.

But only big mining firms should face a limit, it said, with some of their rebates redirected to alternative technologies, smaller mining companies and energy security measures.