Kylea Tink (North Sydney, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. For too long, Australians were placed at the bottom of the list in terms of priority access to low-emissions vehicles, and, without intervention, transport will be the largest source of emissions in Australia by 2030. The people of North Sydney, who are surrounded by major freeways and roads, are living with the consequences of that in terms of poor air quality. We fought for and welcomed the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard that has come into effect this year. But, with misinformation regarding the impacts of these standards rife, could you please provide an update on them, including their expected impact on both the uptake and the price of vehicles?

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

I thank the member for North Sydney for her question and very genuinely thank her for her leadership and engagement on this issue and other issues across this parliament. As the member for North Sydney knows and as the House will recall, Australia and Russia were the only two major economies without new vehicle efficiency standards. The key word there is 'were' because, on 1 January, that changed with our New Vehicle Efficiency Standard coming into force to give Australians better choices of motor vehicles. It was in the too-hard basket for too long, and we put it on the to-do list and got it done, passed by the parliament with the support of the crossbench and, of course, opposed by the Liberal and National parties despite them trying to do it when they were in office.

What this means is more choice for Australian motorists, and it builds on what we've already done. We're already seeing it having an impact even though it only came into force on 1 January. The number of EVs available in Australia and the range of choices have tripled since May 2022. When we came to office, there were no electric vehicles available for sale in Australia under $45,000. There are now eight models available under $45,000. There are now utes available. The BYD electric hybrid ute has sold very well at a cost of $60,000 since it was introduced just before Christmas. These are the sorts of options and choices we want to give Australians, and, of course, this leads to lower running costs and lower petrol costs for motorists.

To be fair, and with respect to the member for North Sydney—she did advocate for it, and I'm sure her constituents do benefit from it—the people who really benefit from this policy are people in the outer suburbs and regions, the people who drive for longer distances. That is a fact. They are the people who benefit. For example, an average motorist in the electorate of Mitchell would benefit compared to a motorist in the electorate of North Sydney. There will be $90 billion in overall benefit between now and 2050 in petrol costs but much more in the outer suburbs.

Of the suburbs that have taken up the new vehicle discount, the tax cut of the Albanese government, the first in New South Wales is in Kellyville in the electorate of Mitchell. The second is the electorate of Greenway for the Minister for Communications. Third, again, is the member for Mitchell. I've got good news for you, Mr Speaker. The biggest take-up of electric vehicles under our policy in Queensland is Springfield in your electorate, so that's good news for the Speaker, and the second is Blair. In Victoria, the top-selling suburb for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles is in the electorate of Lalor. The second is Lalor and third is Holt.

These are the suburbs and electorates that are benefiting that those opposite tried to deny choice to. They tried to deny choice to people in outer suburbs and regions of Australia because they don't really represent outer suburbs and regions. This side of the House does.