Behyad Jafari.
Better clarity and purpose is needed in the federal government’s electric vehicle plan, says an “underwhelmed” Electric Vehicle Council of Australia.
The plan outlined in the new Emissions Reduction Fund is inadequate, council chief executive Behyad Jafari says.
“A year ago Josh Frydenberg declared, correctly, that electric vehicles represented a disruptive advance on par with the introduction of the iPhone,” Jafari says.
“Since then we have had a full senate inquiry into electric vehicles, and the industry itself has provided reams of evidence and information to the government.
“Now, on the eve of a federal election, we hear the government committing to nothing more than plan about a plan. It’s underwhelming to say the least.”
Jafari calls for more urgency in Australia’s action on EVs. “Our flat-footedness to date has seen us slip several steps behind the world. As things stand we are becoming a dumping ground for the world’s dirtiest vehicles; vehicles that can’t be sold anywhere else.”
He says the EVC will continue to work constructively and cooperatively with government – “that is our purpose”.
“But we will be emphasising that we already know the steps that need to be taken. The international precedent exists and we need to be getting on with it now.
“Imagine if our federal government had dragged its heels like this when horse and buggies were being made redundant last century. We wouldn’t have any highways.”
Jafari says Australians want to own EVs and deserve better support from their government.
“We urge the federal government, and indeed the alternate government, to recognise the potential of electric vehicles and outline plans to move decisively to a cleaner transport future.”
