The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has slammed a proposal from the NSW state opposition to raise stamp duty on vehicles over $100k, describing it as a "tax on a tax". The NSW Labor party last week announced plans to make the state's stamp duty rate the nation's highest, to 7...
Prime Minister Scott Morrison today unveiled a $2 billion pre-election climate change policy, but electric vehicle advocates are calling for more to be done in support of the burgeoning EV market. There's minimal mention of electric vehicles in the policy, which simply commits to developing a 'National Electric Vehicle Strategy' without any concrete promise what it might look like and when it might be done...
Victoria is already in the midst of huge infrastructure changes, but the solution to the state's congestion and packed public transport system could be 'cycling superhighways' on 10 high-traffic corridors. The RACV is pushing for the Andrews Labor Government to put two-wheeled commuters atop their list of priorities...
Australia's peak motoring body, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), has thrown its support behind an Infrastructure Australia report putting electric vehicle charge infrastructure on a list of high-priority projects for the nation. Tony Weber, FCAI CEO, described electric vehicles as a "key component in the way of the future" in a statement...
Infrastructure Australia has labelled the expansion of electric vehicle charge infrastructure as a high priority, putting it on a list of 29 High Priority Initiatives for Australia. In a report published today, the independent statutory body identified a lack of charge infrastructure as a significant barrier to electric vehicle adoption, calling for a "network of fast-charging stations on the national highway network" to drive adoption...
The Senate Select Committee on Electric Vehicles has called for a firm national electric vehicle sales target and tighter emissions standards to drive adoption of battery-powered vehicles in Australia. Most prominently, the report calls for national EV targets for "light passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles and metropolitan buses", as a way to demonstrate a firm commitment to accelerating electric uptake in Australia...
The New South Wales Government has announced a major election promise today, confirming a not insignificant investment in its electric vehicle fleets and the state's growing EV charging network. If successful in the March 23 election, the NSW Liberal party claims its Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan will include a $3 million co-investment in fast charging points on major regional corridors, along with $2 million on chargers in commuter car parks...
The Federal Opposition has promised to establish a National Office of Road Safety, should it win the 2019 Federal Election. The proposal was announced at the Labor Party's national conference in Adelaide, with the party arguing "after decades of decline, the road toll is again heading in the wrong direction"...
Sydney drivers will take part in a trial of world-first mobile phone monitoring cameras, as part of a New South Wales Government push to curb distracted driving. The pair of new cameras will be deployed on the M4 and Anzac Parade from January 2019, but motorists caught during the trial won't be fined...
Labor in New South Wales has proposed new targets and funding to encourage electric vehicle (EV) adoption, calling for 25 per cent of government fleet vehicles to be EV by 2025. The state opposition has also committed $10 million over three years to electric vehicle infrastructure, called for reformed planning regulations to encourage charging infrastructure in residential apartment blocks, and promised $1 million for a public awareness campaign to communicate the technology's benefits...
Volkswagen is turning to dealers in its push for revised emissions standards Down Under, arming dealer principals with a sternly-worded letter to hand their local member of parliament ahead of next year's Federal Election. The company has been one of the most vocal campaigners for revised legislation around vehicle emissions and fuel quality in Australia, lest we join what it's dubbed the 'automotive third world'...
There are new rules for the motor vehicle industry in Australia, after Federal Parliament passed the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 last week as a replacement for the Motor Vehicle Standards Act of 1989. The legislation passed both houses of parliament this week, but the rules won't start coming into force until late in 2019...
Roadworks speed limits would be returned to normal outside of work hours, under proposed legislation from re-elected Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews. Mr. Andrews posted on Facebook announcing the Government's plans to make "a new rule" so motorists aren't stuck going 40km/h past an "empty work site". Similar legislation has been tabled in past, but never enacted...
Hyundai has reinforced the need for new emissions regulations in Australia, suggesting the industry is eagerly waiting for a 'line in the sand' from the Federal Government on the issue. Speaking with CarAdvice at the launch of the Hyundai Ioniq in Brisbane, Scott Nargar, manager of future mobility and government relations at Hyundai Australia, highlighted the importance of certainty surrounding emissions Down Under...
No state or territory is on track to meet its road-toll reduction target under the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS), according to new road trauma benchmarking from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA). Developed in 2010, the NRSS is aiming for a 30 per cent reduction in road fatalities by 2020. We've seen a 10...
Public support for a 'road tax' to replace the current fuel excise is growing, according to a new survey from EastLink. The latest EastLink Self Driving Car Survey found 47 per cent of people think it's unfair for electric vehicles to use the roads without paying fuel tax to fund their maintenance, while a slight majority favoured replacing the current fuel excise with a 'road-use charge'...
Hobson's Bay has announced a 12-week trial of the Toyota Mirai, with three hydrogen fuel-cell sedans bound for the beachside city council's fleet. The trial, which starts today, will put the fuel-cell sedan in the hands of council members on regular day-to-day duties...
The Queensland Government has announced that it will be issuing defect notices to owners of more than 2000 cars fitted with faulty 'alpha' Takata airbags. The defect notice will give owners 21 days to have their airbags replaced by the vehicle's manufacturer. If owners choose to take no action, their registrations will be cancelled...
A new autonomous trial focusing on elderly and mobility-impaired people is headed to regional South Australia, in a push to show how self-driving cars can operate in a rural environment. The trial will take place in Renmark, around three hours north-east of Adelaide, and was this morning announced by Stephan Knoll, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government in South Australia at the International Driverless Vehicle Summit (IDVS)...
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has introduced new ban on 'flex commissions' in automotive lending. When they come into force on November 1, the new rules will apply to all automotive finance lenders, including banks and car dealers. The regulation changes come on the back of an investigation into flex commissions...
