Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

We've bought one—our household has bought one. For my wife, commuting to work, it makes perfect sense. She no longer has to visit a petrol station—she plugs it in every night, and it's absolutely fantastic. I've been driving it, and it's an excellent vehicle. It drives better than any other vehicle I've driven. It's great. But the reality is that for many Australians, who like to recreate and to get out and about in the regions are towing their caravans and their boats, these vehicles might have the capacity to tow. The F1-50 can tow four tons—or possibly even 4½ tons—but if you can tow it for only 100 kilometres, it doesn't suit the Australian lifestyle or landscape.

We have to think more seriously about this. We can't just have policies driven by inner-city MPs, inner-city elites who don't think about it. I had someone recently say to me, 'Maybe they just need to change what type of vehicle they need to buy.' Be upfront with the Australian people that that's what you're expecting them to do! Don't just create these policies that will impose on them without being upfront. Minister Bowen, the member for McMahon, went over to America and took a photo in front of an F1-50 Lightning at a Ford dealership, saying, 'They said we were going to ruin the weekend, but this car can tow big loads'. But guess what? It can tow only 100 kilometres.