Laborâs electric vehicle tax set for a rough road ahead
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The Victorian governmentâs plan to tax drivers of electric vehicles is in jeopardy because the government does not have the support to pass the legislation in Parliamentâs upper house.
Key independent MPsintend to block the new tax that Treasury expects to raise $30 million over four years and is forecast to cost the average EV motorist between $260 and $300 a year after its proposed July start date.
Sales of electric vehicles are on the rise around the world.
Credit:Bloomberg
The state government wants to tax EV drivers, who do not pay fuel excise, 2.5 cents per kilometre and make them contribute to the cost of maintaining the road network. The tax is similar to one soon to be operating in South Australia and is designed to ensure the state does not suffer a revenue shortfall when EVs â which make up less than 1 per cent of Australian vehicles, 10 times fewer than
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We all play a part in road safety
About 1,200 Australians die on our roads every year and 44,000 are seriously injured, costing the economy an estimated $30 billion.
The human cost – in deaths, serious injuries and lasting disabilities – is immeasurable.
You may have thought that if we all just avoided the ‘fatal five’ top risks when getting behind the wheel, a safe drive for all could be guaranteed. If we all just avoided speeding, not wearing seat belts, alcohol and drugs, distraction and fatigue then we could solve the problem of road trauma.
But humans are not perfect, and we will continue to make mistakes. That’s why it’s important to think about the big picture when it comes road safety, taking into account not just individual decisions, but the system as a whole.
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Government’s emissions projection update underscores tax reform urgency
Australia’s peak motoring body is pleased to see today’s updated federal government emissions projections acknowledge the global shift to electric vehicles, which emphasise the urgent need for nationally consistent tax reform.
The Australian Automobile Association says Australia’s new emissions projections show the expected rate of new light vehicle sales being electric or hybrid in 2030 has been revised up from 19 to 26 per cent.
AAA Managing Director, Michael Bradley, said: “The investments being made by global car-makers mean electric vehicle technologies will keep improving, prices will keep falling, and sales will keep increasing.