Albo fuel plan no threat to tradies

Anthony Albanese has denied tradies and grey nomads could soon be forced to give up their utes and caravans under a plan to overhaul the nation’s fuel efficiency standards.

The changes would incentivise the car industry to boost the sales of low and zero emissions vehicles or face fines for selling too many fuel-hungry cars

Motoring bodies have warned that tradies and families could have fewer choices if popular utes, four-wheel drives and light commercial vehicles were phased out before there are EV alternatives.

But speaking on Thursday, the Prime Minister said people wouldn’t have to give up their car of choice.

“There is no compulsion. People can drive whatever vehicles they like,” he told Adelaide radio Five AA. “All we’re doing here is bringing our emission standards to the same level by 2028 that the United States of America has had in place for some time.

“There’s a few big vehicles in the United States. Indeed, they’re a fair bit bigger than vehicles that are available here.

“What we want to avoid is Australia just becoming a dumping ground for the dirtiest vehicles.”

The government says the new rules would bring Australia in line with most other major economies and save motorists about $1000 a year in average fuel costs by 2028.

While particular models won’t be banned, car brands would be bound by a cap on average emissions, which the government proposes to slash by 60 per cent by the end of the decade.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said it was nonsense to suggest car manufactures weren’t going to pass on increases to consumers.

“They’re going to have to pass it on. The fact is the car prices will go up, and go up dramatically, under what the government is proposing,” he told reporters in Parramatta on Thursday. “A Prime Minister who is proposing to jack up the price of a Toyota HiLux by $15,000 is completely and utterly out of touch with where Australia’s tradies are and families and small businesses.”