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

The fundamental issue with this fuel efficiency standard change that Minister Bowen is trying to push onto Australian consumers and vehicle providers and manufacturers across this country is that it is taking away their choice. Senator Wong, in her contribution in answer to Senator Cadell's question, refuted that point. The problem is that Australians are choosing to drive larger vehicles—maybe they're tradies and they need them to be able to go about their job or maybe they just like recreation opportunities over the weekend or on holidays—and there is no equivalent vehicle to transition to. Battery technology is not going to provide the energy density that's required to ensure that a vehicle of that class can take the demand that's placed on these vehicles. In terms of towing and ensuring that you can carry the loads that are required by those vehicles, there is no EV equivalent. Until we get hydrogen, synthetic fuels or biofuels to a level where they're affordable, it is not possible.

The date of 1 January is the problem that the vehicle manufacturing industry is pointing to. We cannot transition the fleet that quickly, so there will be no choice available for people. They won't be able to choose. Unless Minister Bowen wants to say to Australians that they need to change their job or change their lifestyle and move to a smaller passenger vehicle, he needs to slow down a bit. That's what we're asking him to do and that's what motor vehicle manufacturers are asking him to do as well. They don't have vehicles available that those people can transition to. They're simply not there.

I hope Senator Ciccone, as a Victorian, is engaging with the $13 billion caravan manufacturing industry in his home state. Right there in Campbellfield, Senator Ciccone, are countless manufacturing businesses. The only vehicle manufacturers left in this country, as you would know, are caravan manufacturers. Jayco, Crusader—they're all there in your neck of the woods. I hope you're engaging with them on this issue. They are saying that there is no transitional vehicle that you can go to. People are going to have to pay up to $25,000 extra for a land cruiser that can tow a caravan. You can't tow the kind of big van that Australians want with an EV. You can't do it. There is no vehicle that is available to do it. You've got to give them choice.

Question agreed to.