Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How will the Albanese Labor government's new vehicle efficiency standard deliver Australians a greater choice of cleaner, cheaper cars to run, and why has this important reform not been delivered sooner?

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

I thank the member for Bennelong very much for the question, because he knows that there are substantial cost-of-living benefits to Australians from getting more efficient and cleaner vehicles into the Australian market.

People may not know, but the new vehicle efficiency standard has been on the books as a policy idea for decades; it's been coalition policy for nearly a quarter of a century. John Howard went to the 2001 election promising:

The Coalition is negotiating new fuel efficiency standards for motor vehicles to reduce the amount of fuel consumed per kilometre travelled.

The most recent coalition government, where the Leader of the Opposition was seated at the cabinet table, was committed to delivering an efficiency standard with, of course, the member for Bradfield, who said:

Although Australia accounts for less than two per cent of the global new vehicle market, it is becoming increasingly important that we harmonise our approaches to vehicle emissions with those in place in other countries.

And, of course, according to media reports, as late as yesterday the Leader of the Opposition told his party room that efficiency standards continue to be coalition policy.

The coalition, frankly, are all talk and no delivery. They are too scared of their own shadows to deliver on their own policies. When anything gets a little bit too hard, they curl up into a ball. They are the scared, weird little guys of Australian politics.

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will pause.

The member for Barker! This is not the time to interject. You're warned. There's too much noise. I can't hear what the minister is saying.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Lucky you!

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd ask the Leader of the Opposition to show some respect to every minister, just as I demand respect shown to him.

Order! The Minister for Social Services and the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme will cease interjecting. We're just going to take the temperature down and ensure that this minister is heard. I need to hear what the minister is saying. I think every member needs to hear as well.

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

As I said, those opposite are the scared, weird little guys of Australian politics, so fearful of anything that they are absolutely paralysed.

This government, of course, is getting on with the job of delivering for the Australian people, and our goal is to provide more choice of cleaner, cheaper-to-run cars for all Australians. An efficiency standard is important because it allows consumers to choose the right vehicle for them and their circumstances and it incentivises car companies to deliver their best cars into the Australian market.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the Nationals will cease interjecting.

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

It will help take the pressure off families by creating a greater choice of cars that are cheaper to run—whether they're petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric vehicles. It is particularly important in regional communities like mine because we stand to benefit the most from fuel savings for those vehicles. The Minister for Climate Change and Energy and I have been consulting. We've closed those consultations now. I've been talking to the Australian CEOs of car manufacturers, dealer representatives and motor clubs. We thank everyone for their constructive feedback, because we know, on this side of the House, that that is what good governments do. They consult, work through issues, deliver for Australian consumers, and don't curl up into a little ball and hope that no-one notices. (Time expired)

David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. The Isuzu D-MAX is one of regional Australia's top-selling vehicles, but Labor's new family car and ute tax will increase prices by up to $13,800 on every car. Isuzu UTE Australia has stated the policy is 'excessive', and many vehicle brands may be forced to increase vehicle prices to cover the penalties incurred. Why is Labor increasing family car prices in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis?

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. Presumably he's raised it with the member for Bradfield, who pointed out, when he was trying to introduce fuel efficiency standards, that the price of no model will go up in Australia, as it hadn't in any other country in the world, and that the impact on purchasing wouldn't change. Perhaps he has raised the same point with the former Treasurer, the former member for Kooyong, who, just weeks before the last election, said on Insiders, 'The Liberal Party has always been committed to fuel efficiency standards.' As the minister for transport just shared with the House, apparently the Leader of the Opposition is still committed. That's a funny way of showing their commitment, but they're still committed!

Commitment means delivering. What we are doing, as the minister for transport just said, is consulting on a preferred model with a wide range of stakeholders across industry and consumer groups to ensure we get the model right. That's what we're doing because that's what good governments do. Then we will introduce the legislation. We will be voting for cost-of-living relief which reduces the amount of petrol used by motorists, whether they choose a more efficient petrol vehicle, a more efficient diesel vehicle or an EV, because we want more choices available to the Australian people, not fewer choices. We want Australia to catch up with every other major economy in the world, except for Russia. The Leader of the Opposition is happy to stay in the group of two—G2, Australia and Russia—when it comes to vehicle efficiency standards, and we are not.