Statement - Electric vehicle sales need a supercharge

Statement – Electric vehicles need a supercharge

19 May 2022.

Despite talking a big game, the Andrews Labor Government has confirmed that it is nowhere near achieving its electric vehicle target.

In May 2021, Labor announced its Zero Emissions Vehicle Roadmap, which included a target of achieving at least 50 per cent of all new light vehicles sales to be zero emissions by 2030.

Minister for Environment, Lily D’Ambrosio, today confirmed at the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC), that Labor’s roadmap, a year later, is going nowhere.

Over the last year, new electric vehicle sales have only increased to 2.1 per cent – lightyears away from Labor’s own 50 per cent target.

In an admission that the Government is wildly behind its own target, the Minister confirmed that the Government has set up a Ministerial panel to review what policy action needs to be taken.

Victorians deserve more than a go-slow on electric vehicles. They deserve a State Government that is the driving force to achieving the transition to electric vehicles.

Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change, James Newbury, said that setting the target was the first step, but what matters more is actually achieving the goal.

“Labor has confirmed that Victoria isn’t even in the ballpark of achieving its electric vehicle uptake target.”

“Electric vehicles are inevitably the way of the future, and yet Victoria is falling behind. We need the government to supercharge uptake and actually aspire to reach this achievable goal.”

James Newbury, Member for Brighton