Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I make a final appeal to the government to save the life of the Reva—the emission-free carbon-neutral electric car, which the Howard government has demanded be crushed later this week. Last week I visited the outlet for Reva, which is the Solar Shop in my electorate. I have learnt how this car attracts government subsidies in both Japan and the UK and of the measures taken across the EU to encourage the expansion of this market of environmentally friendly vehicles. Yet here the Howard government are too short-sighted to create a new category for registration of these impressive vehicles. When it comes to climate change we, once again, see the Howard government trailing behind global efforts.

I again appeal to the Prime Minister and to the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads to save the Reva. As these appeals have so far fallen on deaf ears I have also today written to the UK Conservatives leader, Mr David Cameron, and asked him to have a word to our PM on this issue. Mr Cameron is very keen on the Reva, being photographed with it for publicity purposes. He has stated:

To help tackle climate change we must be for greener cars … Today, many families want to become greener, and they’re looking for more options to go green. We should help them.

I agree with these sentiments. Our Prime Minister loves to follow the lead of conservative foreign leaders. I urge him to follow this lead and save the Reva and provide a framework for the future expansion of the low-emission vehicle industry. To see this car crushed would be a tragedy, and I will continue to fight against this and to fight for this industry. (Time expired)