Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. As I said, we have stood alongside Russia as one of the only advanced economies that does not have a fuel efficiency standard, so consumers in Australia are not getting the benefits of the most efficient vehicles, whether they be petrol vehicles, whether they be hybrid, whether they be electric vehicles or diesel vehicles like the one that I drive. This is an important reform, one that is long overdue, one that used to be supported by those opposite. They know that it is an important measure to make sure that people in regional areas get the fuel savings that are desperately needed. We know in country Australia just how important it is that we are part of the net zero transformation and that is what this bill is very much part of—making sure the people in regional Australia get the benefit of fuel-efficient cars. That is what this bill does. I'm very proud that we are bringing this into the House today and getting it through and getting this done, something the member for Bradfield could only dream about.

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