The Andrews Labor Government has controversially imposed a new tax on electric vehicles owners in Victoria.
The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath says Labor’s new electric vehicle tax is a counterproductive disincentive for the adoption of low emission technologies in Victoria.
Speaking in state parliament last week, Ms Bath said Labor’s electric car tax was the 38th new tax introduced and a clear indication that the Andrews Government is bent on taxing Victorians rather than encouraging them to drive low emission vehicles.
“The Treasurer, Tim Pallis has falsely claimed Labor’s new electric car tax is to raise funds for road related infrastructure, yet has stripped rural and regional road maintenance funding in this year’s state budget.
“Labor has slashed the regional roads maintenance funding to an appalling one tenth of the previous budget.
“In the next financial year Labor has allocated only $44 million for planning, upgrades and roads maintenance across Victoria’s regional roads network.
“The reality is, this tax is about revenue raising to compensate for Labor’s financial mismanagement.
“In contrast metropolitan roads projects have mega budget blowouts, which see Labor gouging the pockets of Victorians – the West Gate Tunnel is $5.83 billion over budget, the metro tunnel $3.43 billion over budget, while the North East Link is a whopping $15.79 billion over budget.
“It’s disappointing that drivers of zero and low emission cars are being disincentivised through another Andrews Government tax.”
Ms Bath said Gippslanders are right to feel doubly duped by the Andrews Government after the Premier spruiked Latrobe Valley would become the ‘electric vehicle manufacturing capital of Australia’ and then failed to establish the SEA Electric manufacturing plant as promised.
“Not only are residents going to be taxed more for being early adopters’ of low emissions technology – in the Valley there will be no local jobs or manufacturing of electric vehicles.
“While industry is working hard to reduce emissions, the Andrews Government is putting up barriers and disincentivising the purchase of zero and low emission cars.
“Instead of opportunistic taxes to pay for Labor’s debt, the Andrews Government shouldn’t be hindering the adoption of new technologies,” Ms Bath said.
