Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in response to Senator Roberts's disallowance motion pertaining to the Industry Research and Development (Dealership and Repairer Initiative for Vehicle Electrification Nationally (DRIVEN) Program) Instrument 2024. Transport pollution is rising fast, and by 2030 it will be Australia's biggest source of emissions. We need all shoulders to the wheel to drive emissions down, because right now, under current policy settings, we are on track for a catastrophic three degrees of warming. Let's be clear: the government's current set of policies isn't going to bring down transport emissions anytime soon. This $60 million program to install EV chargers at dealerships won't shift the dial on emissions, but it will support uptake at the margins, and that's something.

EVs can and should be part of the solution. They're cheap to run, especially if you have solar panels, and they're easy to drive, but price and charging access remain real barriers to widespread uptake. The global cost of EVs and battery technology is taking care of the upfront costs of EVs. Soon they'll be cheaper than internal combustion vehicles at dealerships, and, of course, filling up on electrons only costs a fraction of the cost of petrol. But removing the other major barrier of range anxiety requires an abundance of charging stations. This, of course, means we need good government policy, and Australia's is not yet up to scratch.

Globally there are 11 electric vehicles for every public charging station, but in Australia there are 68 EVs for every public charger. In that context, this disallowance motion makes zero sense. One Nation's attempt to block modest investment in Australian businesses that is helping dealerships become part of the clean transport transition isn't just petty; it's counterproductive. This program is supporting dealerships to be part of the transition, to use their existing relationships with their communities to encourage EV uptake. On that level, this policy makes sense. No, it won't transform the sector, but it can help normalise EVs, especially in regional areas where local dealers are trusted and embedded in their communities. That's soft power that we shouldn't be ignoring. So, while this won't turn the tide on transport emissions, it shouldn't be blocked or opposed.

But let's be clear: EVs alone won't solve Australia's transport emissions problem. To truly cut emissions, we need serious investment in regular, reliable and well-connected public transport. That's what'll get people out of cars and off short-haul flights. We can't afford more delay. If we're serious about meeting our climate commitments, we need to overhaul our transport system, not just tinker around the edges.