Peter Khalil (Wills, 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 deliver Australians more choice when it comes to cleaner, cheaper-to-run cars after a decade of inaction?

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

Order! The member for Page and the member for Hume will cease interjecting before I call the minister.

Order! The member for Canning! I just said don't interrupt before I call the minister.

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 Wills for the question. Of course, earlier today, the minister for climate change and I stood with representatives of Toyota, Hyundai, Tesla, the Motor Trades Association of Australia, the Australian Automotive Dealer Association and the Electric Vehicle Council to announce a new vehicle efficiency standard that is right for this country. After extensive consultation, we have released a model that delivers Australians more choice of new cars. It will save Australians thousands of dollars at the bowser—$95 billion less in petrol out to 2050. It will reduce the emissions that come from the cars that we drive, and it's a model where Australians can continue to buy the utes and the SUVs that we all love.

As we know, a new vehicle efficiency standard is not a new thing. It has been coalition policy for over a quarter of a century, with John Howard, back in 2001, stating that the coalition was negotiating a new fuel efficiency standard for motor vehicles to reduce the amount of fuel consumed per kilometre travelled. Yet the Howard government, of course, could not deliver one. It's a policy that the then Abbot-Turnbull government, and the Morrison government as well, with the member for Bradfield trying, with our support—it is becoming increasingly important that we harmonise our approaches to vehicle emissions with those in place in other countries. They were unable to actually deliver.

This government is delivering what the Liberals and Nationals could not: a new vehicle efficiency standard that is right for Australia, with legislation to be introduced into this place tomorrow. We've undertaken extensive consultation with the industry and the community and have incorporated sensible amendments and suggestions that make improvements to our preferred option, whilst ensuring a sustainable and effective standard. A limited number of four-wheel drives, such as the Toyota Land Cruiser—a great vehicle—and the Nissan Patrol, regarded as workhorse vehicles will move from the passenger car category into the light commercial category.

We're smoothing the emissions trajectory for light commercial vehicles, taking into account both the recently announced changes in the US and the different range of credits that are available there.

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

The member for Barker 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

We're adjusting what are known as the breakpoints. The standard will start on 1 January next year, but credits and penalties will start on 1 July. I want to thank everyone who has engaged constructively with this policy. This is how you actually make good policy, a lesson that those opposite might like to learn: you go out, you consult, you work collaboratively with industry to make sure that you've got the model right, and then you have the courage of your convictions and you make sure that you're delivering. Where the coalition gave up, Labor is doing the hard work of delivering what is right for Australia. Those opposite are happy to stand with Russia when it comes to vehicle efficiency standards. I'm happy to stand with Australian consumers. (Time expired)