The battle for Sydney’s eastern suburbs will put electric vehicles back on the federal political agenda, with both leading candidates for the seat of Wentworth calling on the government to do more to encourage uptake of EVs – including in their Range Rover-loving electorate.
Independent Allegra Spender will use her campaign relaunch on Thursday to argue manufacturers should be bound to a fuel efficiency standard on new vehicles sold in Australia, with no new petrol and diesel cars to be sold after 2035.Liberal MP Dave Sharma, who is fighting to retain the eastern suburbs seat he holds on a margin of 1.3 per cent, was more cautious, saying he was open to an increase in fuel efficiency standards but was sceptical about “arbitrary targets” for EV sales.
At the last election, the Morrison government slammed Labor’s aspirational target for half of new cars sold by 2030 to be EVs, claiming it would “end the weekend” by forcing people out of SUVs and destroy the livelihoods of tradies.Ms Spender, who drives a hybrid and has a petrol weekender, said the lack of a fuel standard meant Australian motorists had a fraction of the choice of EV models enjoyed by drivers in the UK and Canada, where new cars must be electric by 2035.
Ms Spender said new apartment developments should be required to include EV charging stations, which was particularly important in Wentworth as it was 60 per cent strata apartments. “It’s not all harbourside mansions as everybody thinks it is,” Ms Spender said.
michaelkoziol just as well all parking meters will be free charging stations now
Wealthy electorate arguing about wealthy people's problems. Makes for a good soap opera. 🤷😏
michaelkoziol Smothering citizens with superficial crap,we know their heart isn't in it,their actions speaks louder than their hollow promises,fool me once shame on you,fool me twice shame on me.
michaelkoziol Dorothy the fraud. do anything to save himself.