The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says fuel prices are at record highs – and headed higher – so Daniel Andrews decides to smack electric car owners with more taxes.
Mr Walsh said he has been gobsmacked as concerned owners of electric cars are going to face growing and inescapable tax burdens per kilometre because of the Andrews Labor Government’s greedy tax implications.
He said in Parliament, The Nationals have called for the Victorian Government to immediately remove the road tax for driving electric vehicles in Victoria.
“But as usual, with this tax-hungry government, looking to claw back anything to offset the billions it is wasting on major infrastructure project through scandalous financial mismanagement and cost overruns, nobody is listening,” Mr Walsh explained.
“And surprise, surprise, Victoria appears to be the only jurisdiction in the world to tax electric vehicles,” he added.
“One minute this mockery of a government is encouraging, even subsidising, Victorians to produce and use renewable energy, and the very next minute is actively discouraging the use and purchase of electric vehicles.
“We recently spoke with a regional family which had purchased a Tesla electric car to do their bit for the environment.
“This family use the electric car on a daily basis; and even though they charge it using their own solar panels; even that cops them a tax from Daniel Andrews Inc.”
Mr Walsh said since July 1 last year the Victorian Government implemented a modest distance-based charge applying to Victorian registered zero and low emission vehicles.
He said now electric car users are encumbered by another rapacious grab by the Victorian Government; one that makes them pay for not only road user tax, but now includes an additional tax per kilometre to the Victorian Government – even if you are not travelling in the state of Victoria.
“This isn’t just unfair for our electric car owners, it is unconscionable; it is outrageous; and it is so typical of this inept government, which has showed, even to blind Freddie, it has no idea how to be financially prudent and no idea how to manage the state’s finances,” Mr Walsh said.
“The Nationals will continue to raise these taxation concerns for electric car owners in Parliament,” he said.
“Only late last year I was taken for a drive in a top-end Tesla and everything about the electric car ticked the right boxes – its owner Garry Busowski told me he averages a comfortable 400km to the charge but can do much better in the right condition.
“With no emissions either, why would any government try to tax this next-generation transport and force people back onto the finite fuel resource?
“There is no doubt sustainable energy will be just as important to the transport industry as it will for solar powers on the roof of your home – stay tuned, there’s a taxation opportunity Daniel Andrews will almost certainly turn to in the near future.”