2018-05-31
The Greens are calling on the Turnbull Government to legislate stringent vehicle emissions standards before the next election, or see Australia become a global dumping ground for polluting, inefficient cars.
“Reports today indicate that there is pressure ramping up from multinational vehicle manufacturers who don’t want these standards. The Government keeps pushing out the deadline for action on emissions standards, begging the question of who is actually writing their policy,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport spokesperson.
“Eighty percent of the world car market already has light vehicle emissions standards. Any weakening of the 105g/km target or delay to the 2025 implementation date as recommended by the Government’s own Ministerial Forum will show that the Turnbull Government is completely in the pockets of big business when it comes to energy and transport policy,” said Senator Rice.
“If Ministers Fletcher and Frydenberg cave in to the car manufacturers’ scare campaign, motorists won’t see the over $500 per year in average fuel savings, we’ll see millions of tons of extra pollution pumped into the atmosphere and our reliance on oil imports from overseas will continue to increase.”
“Earlier this year the Greens laid out our plan to introduce 105g/km standards by 2022 to drive the uptake of cleaner, more efficient cars and get more electric vehicles on our roads, in line with global market trends.
“Unless the Turnbull Government acts fast, Australia will continue to be the global dumping ground for inefficient, polluting gas guzzlers.”