Tuesday, 5 April 2022

Electric vehicles

Mr ONDARCHIE (Northern Metropolitan) (17:45): (1858) My adjournment debate today is for the Treasurer, and it concerns the electric vehicle tax that was implemented by this Labor government late last year. Minister, while those on this side of the house vehemently oppose this tax on electric vehicles, it seems this government loves to tax Victorians whether it is warranted or not.

Mr Finn: Which number was that?

Mr ONDARCHIE: I think it was tax number 42, Mr Finn. We now have been living with this tax for nearly a year, and this is nothing more than a rort by this government to rob Victorians to pay itself for the horrible management of the state’s road infrastructure. Since this tax has been implemented it is clear to see that this tax is nothing more than a government double-dip for plug-in hybrid motor vehicle owners. My colleagues and I have received several emails and calls from disgruntled constituents that are being charged twice for their vehicles—one through the EV tax and one through the petrol tax. One of them is in the electorate of the member for Benambra. He has received an approach from a constituent who stated that they purchased a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2020. The electric range of the car is roughly 40 kilometres, with the remainder of the tank being petrol fuelled. Even though only 40 kilometres is electric, the owners cop a 2-cent flat fee on every kilometre they drive, which is enforced by their odometer reading irrespective of whether it was on electric or petrol.

Now, I know the Treasurer and the Minister for Public Transport, the member for Niddrie, might say that 40 kilometres is more than enough for them to get around in their taxpayer-funded limo, but for people in regional Victoria it is a rort. It is not enough, and they should not be the ones subsidising the government’s mismanagement. The government’s tokenistic gesture of a $100 registration discount is nothing more than an insincere show, as petrol prices have gone up in recent months, with families in regional Victoria that drive frequently paying upwards of $100 per month in EV taxes on top of the sky-high petrol prices, which make up the majority of their cars’ mileage.

It is as clear as day this is laziness from a government that is so out of touch with Victorians that it thinks regional Victorians only drive 40 kilometres a day, with VicRoads telling motorists to save by remembering to charge their cars at home. Now, 40 kilometres does not get them very far. Tell that to the thousands of regional Victorians who do 300-plus kilometres per day. Minister, I call on you to remove this tax on hardworking Victorians immediately and, if you will not do that, in the upcoming budget drop the charge for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle owners. It is not good enough for this city-centric tax to stay on, especially when high petrol prices are already hurting so many in our regions. Treasurer, Victoria does not stop at the tram tracks.