Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

road transport amounts to 12 per cent of Australia’s total carbon dioxide emissions, and the largest source of these emissions was passenger cars,

(ii)

more efficient cars would improve Australia’s energy security,

(iii)

internationally, a number of states have adopted mandatory standards for vehicle fuel efficiency, for example Europe is in the process of legislating for a target of 130g CO2 per km by 2015,

(iv)

the automotive industry accepted a voluntary target of 222g CO2 per kilometre by 2010 and that this target was met ahead of schedule, arguably with ‘business as usual’ improvements,

(v)

the 2010-11 Budget cut $200 million from the Green Car Innovation Fund, which provides grants to automobile industries to encourage investment in efficient technology, a cut that was justified on the basis that demand for grants was lower than anticipated, and

(iv)

in July 2009, the Council of Australian Governments requested that the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government produce a regulatory impact statement into a mandatory scheme for vehicle fuel efficiency and that this report was originally to be made public for consultation before the end of March 2010, but has still not been released; and

(b)

calls on the Government to release the regulatory impact statement into a mandatory scheme for vehicle fuel efficiency and move to introduce mandatory fuel efficiency standards without further delay.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to greenhouse emissions, in 2009 the Council of Australian Governments accepted a joint report from the infrastructure and environment ministers on potential vehicle fuel efficiency measures that aim to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions from new vehicles. Those measures agreed by COAG are set out in the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency. The most significant recommendation relates to the consideration of mandatory CO2 emission standards for the light vehicles, a measure now being implemented in most major vehicle producing countries.

COAG requested the preparation of a regulatory impact statement to assess and compare the merits of introducing voluntary and mandatory CO2 emission standards for light vehicles in Australia. An experienced consultant has been engaged to manage the preparation of the RIS. The draft RIS is expected to be released for public comment when it is finalised shortly. This process will give relevant stakeholders input into the policy process and the RIS will then be finalised. This motion does pre-empt that process and on that basis it will not be supported.

Question put.