2017-07-15
Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens spokesperson for transport, has called on the government to do more to increase the uptake of electric vehicles following the release of the Climateworks report into electric vehicle ownership.
“This report shows just how far Australia is falling behind on electric vehicle ownership, with electric vehicles making up only 0.1% of the new car sales market,” said Senator Rice.
“Electric vehicles are a core part of creating a sustainable transport future, one that doesn’t rely on polluting fossil fuels. But it’s up to government to drive that policy.”
The Greens note that other countries around the world, such as Norway and the Netherlands, are aiming for all new vehicles to be electric by 2025, with India by 2030.
“Yet, when I asked in Estimates about electric vehicle targets in Australia, we found out that the Government has no targets or plan at all.”
The Greens took a fully costed policy that would increase electric vehicle ownership to the 2016 election, which proposed that the Commonwealth pay for the first five years of registration for new EVs funded by an increase in the luxury car tax for fossil fuel powered vehicles over $100,000.
“Come on, Malcolm Turnbull. Let’s get on with it – we can have sustainable transport options, like electric vehicles, but your government needs to join the Greens in actually having policies to drive it.”