Tuesday, 20 September 2022

 Ms BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:41): (1982) My constituency question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and it relates to the method of calculating the distance-based road user charge for zero- and low-emission vehicles. My constituent, wanting to do her bit for the environment, bought a hybrid electric vehicle, a plug-in variety, earlier this year, which can travel only 45 kilometres before functioning in hybrid mode. When the distance-based road user charge is calculated, it is the total kilometres, not the electric portion of the road use, and she highlights that there is an assumption that very little petrol is being used. In country Victoria, and in my case in Eastern Victoria Region, these vehicles frequently travel distances on petrol. I ask the minister, on behalf of my constituent, to review the method of calculation for these hybrid vehicles so that the road user charge is based more fairly—for regional Victorians—on the electric portion rather than the sole total kilometre portion.