The Government’s Feebate scheme
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7:00 am, June 14th, 2021 - 70 comments
Categories: climate change, Environment, global warming, greens, labour, michael wood, national, science, transport -
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Part of the difficult delicate job of becoming carbon neutral is the need to fundamentally transform the country’s car fleet from gas guzzlers to clean electric vehicles in a fairly quick time.
For a while Labour and the Greens have wanted to install a feebate scheme, where the purchase of electric vehicles incentivised and the purchase of gas guzzlers is not incentivised.
The policy was announced in July 2019 but last February New Zealand First vetoed it.
From Thomas Coughlan at Stuff:
The Government’s headline policy to cut the price of electric vehicles by up to $8000 has stalled in first gear after NZ First ministers halted it.
The policy had two parts: a Clean Car Discount, or “feebate” which would subsidise the cost of cleaner vehicles by making polluting vehicles cost more and a Clean Car Standard, which was designed to encourage importers to import cars with better emissions standards.
Green co-leader James Shaw said if NZ First ultimately decided to block the policy, his party would take it to the election.
That now looks likely.
It is understood this measure was weighed up by the NZ First caucus and it decided such a policy needed to go to the electorate.
It is understood this measure was weighed up by the NZ First caucus and it decided such a policy needed to go to the electorate.
“We can confirm NZ First are holding up the rollout of policy that would mean cheaper electric and hybrid cars for New Zealanders,” Shaw said.
There are some changes that have been made from the latest announcement and the previous announcement.
From the latest announcement:
“We’ve made some changes to the policy proposed last term, so only cars under $80,000 and safer models are eligible for rebates. Rebates will begin from July 1 while fees on higher emitting vehicles to help fund the scheme won’t begin until 1 January 2022. The rebates will also expand from 1 January to include low emission vehicles, not just electric and plug-in hybrids.
“Importantly the policy only applies to new and used cars arriving in New Zealand, so the existing second hand market of cars that lower income families tend to purchase from will not be affected.
“We’ve also been doing the work to ensure Kiwis have the confidence to go electric, with electric vehicle chargers now available on average every 75km along most state highways. The Government has been investing directly into charging facilities through the Low Emission Transport Fund (formally the Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund).
The estimate of the latest announcement is that it will prevent a total of 9.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions being emitted, compared to the previous announcement’s estimated 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas savings.
The details of the new policy announcement are as follows:
- New rebates for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles start July 1 with up to $8,625 for new vehicles and $3,450 for used.
- Electric vehicle chargers now available every 75km along most state highways to give Kiwis confidence.
- Low Emission Transport Fund will have nearly four times the funding by 2023 to continue to grow the nationwide EV charging network and support other low emission refuelling networks.
- Electric Vehicle Buyers Guide available to help guide potential buyers.
- Govt intends to set up EV sector leadership group to help increase uptake.
- Proposed Sustainable Biofuels Mandate to prevent over a million tonnes of emissions while Kiwis switch over to electric.
I am sure National will run the usual disparage and confuse campaign at the announcement. Last time Todd Muller who was Transport Spokesperson said that he was broadly supportive of the proposal. Other Nats disparaged the policy as a tax take, even though it was revenue neutral. And National was taken to task by the Advertising Standards Authority for false advertising.
The policy is being consulted on. I am sure the culture warriors will attempt to derail it.
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The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report from the Commerce Commission. ...1 week ago
- Release: Rainbow youth neglected in mental health funding
Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access. ...1 week ago
- Release: Transport in NZ has to be more than just roads
As expected, the National Land Transport Programme lacks ambition for our cities and our country’s rail network and puts the majority of investment into roads. ...1 week ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds Building Nations 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...1 week ago
- Govt transport plan deepens fossil fuel fix
The Green Party says the Government’s new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...1 week ago
- Greens call for public to back Wrybill in BOTY and beyond
The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this year’s Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...1 week ago
- Building consents data bad news for construction
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- Te Pāti Māori Pay Tribute to Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII
Papā te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Gaps still to be addressed in callouts response
The Government must guarantee New Zealanders will not be at risk after making changes to the way mental health callouts are handled. ...2 weeks ago
- Poroporoaki: Kiingi Tuheitia passing
Haere e te Kīngi o te kotahitangi Haere ki o nui, ki o rahi I te pō ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party pays respects to Kiingi Tuuheitia
The Green Party is paying tribute to the Māori King, Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero XVII, after he passed away earlier this morning. ...2 weeks ago
- Potaka Brings Whakaata Māori to its Knees
Today’s Whakaata Māori announcement is yet another colossal failure from Minister Potaka, who has turned his back on te reo Māori, forcing a channel offline, putting whānau out of jobs, and cutting Māori content, says Te Pāti Māori. “A Senior Māori Minister has turned his back on Te Reo Māori. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National restricts access to disability care homes
With disability communities still reeling from the diminishing of Whaikaha, a leaked document now reveals another blow with National restricting access to residential care homes. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt must help save 230 manufacturing jobs
Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt shirks its responsibility to Whakaata Māori
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- NZ First Member’s Bill To Disestablish Auckland Transport
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The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...2 weeks ago
- Waititi urges Rotorua Lakes Council to immediately stop works at Lake Rotokākahi
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Member of Parliament for Waiariki, which includes Rotorua, has written to Rotorua Lakes Councillors requesting they immediately stop sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua. “Mana whenua have been urging Rotorua Lakes Council to stop works and look at alternative plans to protect the ...2 weeks ago
- New Bill to crack down on youth vaping
The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping. “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...4 hours ago - Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed
Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...4 hours ago
- Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...5 hours ago
- Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups
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- Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it
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- Targeted supports to accelerate reading
The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. “Structured literacy will change the way children ...9 hours ago
- Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology
With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. “The Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whānau and ...11 hours ago
- Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...12 hours ago
- Driving structured literacy in schools
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- Labour’s misleading information is disappointing
Labour’s misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “Labour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to ‘reintroduce’ them. ...1 day ago
- Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine
The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. “Mpox is obviously a ...1 day ago
- Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill
Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...1 day ago
- Government unlocking potential of AI
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...1 day ago
- Government releases Wairoa flood review findings
The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...1 day ago
- Promoting faster payment times for government
The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...1 day ago
- Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech
E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward. Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...2 days ago
- Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses
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- Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test
More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...2 days ago
- Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction
Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...2 days ago
- Māori Education Advisory Group established
The Education Minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners. “This group will provide independent advice on all matters related to Māori education in both English medium and Māori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...2 days ago
- Government welcomes findings of NZ Superannuation Fund review
The Government has welcomed the findings of the recent statutory review into the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis says. The 5-yearly review, conducted on behalf of Treasury and tabled in Parliament today, found the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation ...2 days ago
- First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight
Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...2 days ago
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- Action to grow the rural health workforce
Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...3 days ago
- Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...3 days ago
- Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians
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- Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...6 days ago
- Passport wait times back on-track
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...6 days ago
- New appointments to the FMA board
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- District Court judges appointed
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...6 days ago
- Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...6 days ago
- New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...1 week ago
- Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...1 week ago
- Improving access to finance for Kiwis
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia
As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...1 week ago
- Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...1 week ago
- More choice and competition in building products
A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...1 week ago
- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...1 week ago
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...1 week ago
- International tourism continuing to bounce back
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...1 week ago
- Treasury urged govt to scrap Gumboot Friday funding, delay changes to tax package
Investment was "better directed to preventative initiatives", officials said ahead of this year's Budget. ...52 mins ago - Sneesby’s resignation from Nine points to host of problems besetting commercial TV networks
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Mike Sneesby’s resignation as chief executive of the Nine Entertainment Company completes a cleanout at the top of an organisation besieged by the consequences of cultural toxicity. These consequences ...1 hour ago - Ministry for Regulation sets out timetable for action
The new ministry has laid out some time frames for getting things done. ...2 hours ago
- Farm fences trouble turtles in search of water. Here’s how to help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Nordberg, Senior Lecturer (Applied Ecology and Landscape Management), University of New England Eric Nordberg Freshwater turtles live in farm dams, creeks and wetlands across Australia. They often travel over land when these wetlands or farm dams dry up, or during ...2 hours ago
- Kids under 13 use social media. How can parents help keep them safe online?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karley Beckman, Senior Lecturer in Digital Technologies for Learning, University of Wollongong Luiza Kamalova/Shutterstock , CC BY Earlier this week, the federal government announced it is going to introduce a social media ban for children. It hasn’t nominated a minimum ...2 hours ago
- Aged care reform: self-funded retirees and part-pensioners to pay more as government aims to shore u...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Self-funded retirees and many part pensioners will pay more for their aged care under the government’s reform package, endorsed by the opposition and announced on Thursday. The changes involve a $930 million extra spend ...2 hours ago
- Instead of banning kids from online spaces, here’s what we should offer them instead
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Third, Co-Director, Young and Resilient Research Centre/Professorial Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University Banning children under 16 from social media sounds like a seductive idea. For overwhelmed parents navigating their kids’ lives in a digital age, this ...3 hours ago
- Age care changes will hit self-funded retirees and many part pensioners to sustain the system long t...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Self-funded retirees and many part pensioners will pay more for their aged care under the government’s reform package, endorsed by the opposition and announced on Thursday. The changes involve a $930 million extra spend ...3 hours ago
- New polling: half of Australians want gambling ads banned entirely; LNP has big Queensland lead
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted September 3–7 from a sample of 1,614 people, gave Labor a 51–49% lead using ...4 hours ago
- Facebook has scraped public data from Australian users without an opt out. What can we do?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Ford, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney vectorfusionart/Shutterstock Facebook acknowledged in a Senate inquiry yesterday that it is scraping the public photos of Australian users to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models. Facebook’s parent company Meta claims this excludes ...4 hours ago
- Long-overdue Australian privacy law reform is here – and it’s still not fit for the digital era
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice; Lead, UNSW Public Interest Law & Tech Initiative, UNSW Sydney Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock Almost four years since the Privacy Act review commenced, the Australian government has introduced a reform bill that fails to ...4 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor and Director – Academic Excellence, Macquarie University Doucefleur/Shutterstock Common medicines used to treat conditions including heartburn, reflux, indigestion and stomach ulcers may be the subject of a class action lawsuit in Australia. Lawyers are exploring whether long-term use ...4 hours ago
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By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape has successfully thwarted a vote of no confidence after 75 MPs backed him and 32 voted for the opposition. But the session was not without drama. Just after 10am, after the opposition leader moved a motion ...4 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Casey Peter Mainsbridge, Senior Lecturer in Personal Devlopment, Health and Physical Education, University of New England WBMUL/Shutterstock Sport is a significant part of Australian culture and for many represents national pride and social connection. So, it would be fair to ...5 hours ago
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Even when ministers are trying not to answer questions, they frequently give away a lot of information, writes Phil Smith for The House. ...5 hours ago
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The Government is concerned by news of a cyber attack linked to the Chinese government against the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat , with the Asian superpower vehemently denying the claims.Newsroom understands the forum secretariat called in Australian cybersecurity experts in February over a potential cyber attack against its network.After investigating ...6 hours ago - Alex Greenwich’s defamation win against Mark Latham shows political spite is not above the law
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich has been awarded $140,000 in his defamation suit against One Nation New South Wales leader Mark Latham over a homophobic tweet. Latham posted ...6 hours ago
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Wayne Brown is urging the government to build bridge from Pt Chevalier to the North Shore. ...7 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fron Jackson-Webb, Deputy Editor and Senior Health Editor Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock One in four Australian children aged two to 17 are classified as above a healthy weight, based on their body mass index (or BMI, which is weight divided by height squared). ...8 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Laurenceson, Director and Professor, Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI), University of Technology Sydney SURKED/Shutterstock When Treasurer Jim Chalmers travels to Beijing later this month, he and his counterpart at China’s peak economic agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, won’t be ...8 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma Blackwood, Lecturer, Media, University of Tasmania Madman Director Paul Goldman’s new Australian film Kid Snow is set in the gritty, male-dominated world of tent boxing in outback Western Australia. The film presents itself as a reflection on the intergenerational ...8 hours ago
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Lawyers for the former Green Party MP are making their case that she was ejected from the party unlawfully. ...8 hours ago
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While some academic results might put single-gender schools in the lead, there is much more to consider than test results. ...8 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images There is power in paper. Anyone who denies the potency of history’s dusty documents needs only look at the current incendiary debates over proposed legislation tackling the “principles” of the ...8 hours ago
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A new ministry set up to slash red tape spent more than $400,000 on contractors in six months. ...9 hours ago
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Māori health leaders are calling on the government to scrap the Treaty Principles Bill, fearing it will lead to even less equitable healthcare. ...9 hours ago
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The former National MP and businessman was 83. ...9 hours ago
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Damn it! Bought ours too early!
Pleased for everyone else though.
Me too. Virtue does not have it's own reward? Sigh another illusion gone.
Here is a little song for light relief of those who have lost their illusions and have found that 'virtue does not have its own reward'. Beware traces of loucheness. Blossom Dearie confesses:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBKjlFZ-Zak
You're an inspirational leader Robert, along with Robyn. Don't know why you aren't Climate Change Commission Armchair Warrior, you've got a better beard too.
About: Rod Carr is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury. Prior to his appointment as Vice-Chancellor, Carr was managing director of Jade Software Corporation. He joined Jade in 2003 after a career in the banking sector which included holding the position of Acting Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
Rod Carr — TEDxChristchurch
Natz say takes from the poor to give to the rich'
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300332128/national-ev-scheme-takes-from-the-poor-to-give-to-the-rich
Now I am poor.
I want another car
Will I buy an ICE and pay an extra few K
OR
Will i buy and ev and get a few K back
Geez that's really hard NOT
Duh
Welcome to the world of E
Electric cars for the Elite
Eff all for the rest.
I am intrigued at the right wing culture war framing of PT issues. On the one hand, cycling and electric cars are virtue signaling to a grasping entitled middle class liberal elite, whilst on the other any attempt to do anything about housing is a socialist assault on hard working Kiwi battlers with a few investment properties. How does that work, except for perhaps trying to create a wedge issue aimed at pitching aging boomers and millennials vs Gen X?
Really, what we've got is a political right who are deeply unserious and philosophically incoherent, have no answers to contemporary issues and really just want culture war wedge issues as an engagement mechanism to soak their aging supporters of money via subscriptions and donations.
Agree. And as an aging boomer (hate the decisive term) of the working class battler who like most rely solely on the pension, equivalent to about 8 bucks an hour on the 40 hr week scale, dont like being lumped in with the aging Nats, who are the greedy boomers.
Pension is more than that
its $11.65 'per hour' for 80 hrs per fortnight gross for a 'single person'
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/seniors/superannuation/payment-rates.html
Wow Sanctuary you said a mouthful there. And to me, all true.
Bullshit – our 2nd hand Leaf cost under $20k (would be under $17k after this change) – try counting the number of Leafs on the road compared with Teslas – must be 50 to 1 (since I see lots of Leafs every day and see maybe one Tesla a year) – this bullshit narrative from the right that all this is doing is subsidising Teslas for the elites makes no sense in the real world
A practical and useful idea as outlined by Micky–some from the sheep shagger and hobby car/ute sectors are wailing like stuck Tsunami sirens already.
To the critics–EV light trucks are coming like it or not and the US models look pretty impressive in relevant statistics for farm use.
I have been partial to old American cars for years starting with ’58, ’59, ’60, and ’61 Ford models, big block FE motors and I know well some of the thousands of NZ petrol heads so am not anti combustion engines–just acknowledge that times have changed and we are just years, not decades away from even nastier results of environmental melt down.
Car fans mostly use their existing performance and classic cars very lightly rather than as daily drivers. Farmers default setting is special pleading on anything from migrant workers to hogging resources like water in Canterbury–but really–is a few grand on a ute that horrific a prospect to do your bit? It seems every time it rains extra hard (sometimes climate change related according to science) they are quite happy to receive a few more mill off the townie taxpayers!
So, nice move to set the general principle of moving the NZ fleet to EVs.
I'm sure the farmers will be well catered for, just need a bit more time to develop models for our market. The US EV models shown on TV had a luggage boot at the front where the motor would normally be as well as all the technology you could ever want. Farmers will be swamped for choice soon enough then what will they complain about?
What no free ferries, drive in bus lanes, no parking fees, no tolls etc like Norway the star of EV uptake.
Norway doesnt have the 25% GST rate for new electric cars. thats the real benefit.
The otherside is that Norways car dealers price their cars very high compared to other parts of europe ( excl taxes). Indeed some businesses buy 'used imports' from other EU countries and make money selling them higher price in Norway
However Norway is the biggest fossil fuel producer in Europe
I'm a bit surprised that they are not also subsidising the purchase of non-plug in hybrids. They are a fair bit cheaper than plug-in hybrids and pure EVs – and a more realistic possibility for average buyers. Their emissions are a bit higher, but it's better than people hanging on to old ICE cars, plus it might reduce the opportunity for the Nats to 'wedge' the left by pitting the low income/working class against the more affluent, urban Labour supporters.
There also doesn't seem to be any questioning of why we need to be lame price-takers of whatever exorbitant number car companies pluck out of their nether regions. What about a Pharmac-style approval system, or a volume deal with Nissan to bring the price of Leafs down? You'd be instant enemies with all the car dealers, which some people might view as a bonus.
AB
'What about a Pharmac-style approval system, or a volume deal with Nissan to bring the price of Leafs down'
Norway found the opposite , as their demand for electric is much higher the car companies like Nissan charge MORE in that market than in rest of Europe.
Higher demand can and does lead to higher prices…look in your own supermarket , prices for cans of soup , and my favourite, packs of tea rise in winter when demand is high and fall in summer period. Cost of production is a small part ” what the market will pay’ is a major factor
Prescription medicines arent really a good comparison here
I understand what high demand does – it allows the exchange value of something to be jacked up even though its actual utility hasn't changed. I don't care if such pathological self-enrichment occurs with consumables that don't really matter – like toasters or jeans. But where the future of human civilisation may be at risk – we should all be less inclined to tolerate such a silly game.
There is bicycles and public transport.
The government just isnt going to 'pharmac' the vehicle market. There isnt some dire emergency like Covid happening even in the next 5 years
Me too as there are sub $30k models available. Maybe they will get passage by being low emission which I think is on the back end of the policy
Agree.
Bulk deals through the Labour Party.
winner winner chicken dinner.
The 'success' or otherwise of flipping the fleet is likely to depend more upon how road funding is collected going forward (i.e RUC and fuel taxes)….vehicle purchases will be impacted more by running costs than initial outlays.
Apart from a suggestion fuel may increase by 30c a litre there is silence about how that funding will be collected from EV and hybrid users.
I suspect this price subsidy is relatively short term, but I would have thought a half level subsidy for non-plug in hybrids. would have been reasonable, but ultimately a revision of fuel taxes / road user charges will be needed. We should be able to measure emmission levels at every Warrant inspection, and together with the weight of the vehicle (and number of wheels / axles and load weight for heavy trucks) create a mix of fuel taxes and road user charges that enable us to meet international commitments re emissions and also enable continued funding of maintenance / development of roading – and also apply equivalent emission targets to rail so that freight costs are fair between the two. That is a complex task, but I suspect surface destruction by very heavy trucks is greater than previously allowed for (and speed, particularly on corners, may be a key issue not covered in theoretical calculations previously). The political components are setting the cost of maintenance / development that are needed for both road and rail; the scientific calculations need to decide what emission tests are needed whether actual speeds and assumed passenger / load assumptions are reasonable for different classes of vehicle, and what simplifications are needed so that fuel taxes are fixed for all users and road user charges not too complicated for different vehicles.
I very much doubt there will be any system operating at that level of specificity.
I can however see a charge applied with data collected via an in vehicle GPS tracker in the not too distant future though even that may be considered politically problematic….the question in my mind is why this level of planning was not announced in tandem with the feebate announcement.
A distinct lack of planning or an unannounced agenda?…either way it dosnt inspire confidence.
The system for large trucks is nearly that complex already. Current road user charges are based on distance measured by the vehicle odometer; and vehicles have to have paid forward. GPS may be better where a vehicle is driven both on road and on private property, but we seem to cope with that already as well.
Good analysis should result in intelligent simplifications, but also indicate when charges need to be reviewed again. Some other countries do use emissions measurements from mandatory testing – I suspect originally for clean air purposes.
there's nothing new in this. go back 45 yrs and there were all sorts of rebates, tax incentives etc, to wean us off big aussie petrol guzzlers, and extra incentives to persuade us into l.p.g. or c.n.g. powered vehicles. there must be some interesting adverts available to shut down any nats talk of reverse robin hood tactics.
Very few individuals are new car buyers.
This policy will really only be of interest to companies with large fleets making decisions about how to get to the Net Zero targets.
The big fleet owners who will be making the decisions that will enable a decent internal second hand market include:
Underneath those fleets that government has a lot of influence over, you then have the major corporates like:
All of them will be able to import either as whole fleets or through Turners for small purchases.
Once you have all of those making fleet divestment and investment decisions based on this policy change, you'll start seeing their ev and hybrid replacements appearing in the NZ second hand dealers.
So most of the moral panic about 'how could I possibly afford it' is completely misplaced, because 95% of New Zealanders will be buying a used car sold off from a fleet, and the great majority of them will be from within New Zealand second hand dealers.
With the whole of life economics favouring electric and hybrid over ICE vehicles – I would not have bothered subsidising the large fleet market. I'd make them pay the subsidy back, give them a short transition period and then wack them with the tax system if they still are claiming ICE vehicles.
Those of us who operate large fleets are by no means convinced of what you say on whole-of-life economics for ev's. Maybe solid state batteries will assist with utes, who knows.
Also our public sector clients strongly weight procurement towards carbon-zero targets in everything we do. So it's a helpful policy signal that helps accelerate existing decarbinisation plans.
Certainly looking forward to RUC changes.
Thinking more of the light fleets like rental cars.
EECA has already been assisting some rental fleets to shift over.
Trucks ?
No, cars.
I'd have thought the rental car companies would be big enough to manage by themselves rather than involve the EECA(govt?). Just wave the big tax option around a little to concentrate their thoughts.
Aye well…
Most rental cars companies don't give you the option. Just a few are now.
Since we are in the OECD the most car-addicted country, we are way beyond market forces alone getting us out of it.
As of 2020 we have one of the most interventionist states around, and if they are so keen on this policy direction then they are going to have to keep bringing those wheelbarrows of cash down the road to business to change their minds.
https://genless.govt.nz/running-a-business/co-funding-and-support/low-emission-vehicles-contestable-fund/summaries-of-approved-projects/
Most projects seem to be for charging stations, and the vehicles were more the 'car share' projects , electric grocery delivery, electric taxis etc.
Only 1 electric rental car project that I could see…….
"Most projects seem to be for charging stations, and the vehicles were more the 'car share' projects , electric grocery delivery, electric taxis etc."
Probably the best place to start re: electrifiying the car fleet,
Most taxis are hybrids already, far cheaper to run than a standard ICE car, but hopefully the shift to electric can be managed to improve that further.
Agree that the main source of new cars in NZ is fleets, so an initiative to heavily subsidise ex-fleet electric vehicles for lower income earners (or provide interest-free loans) could be a goer as a means to help them through the change.
Working out policy solutions for people who can only afford <$5k and <$2k cars is still imperative however even if it's just giving them electric cars or free public transport. It will be years before the current EVs make their way down to that level, so speeding that along seems important.
Yep we need a good solution for those who buy end of life cars. I put it as the < $15k crowd and using a car with cheaper fuel would bring a big general benefit to them personally as well as the whole country. maybe subsidise the purchase of a new but cheap hybrid and pay slightly more rego as a bit of a claw back.
I do wonder if heaving hard at the low end of life market would collapse the value of the new to second hand ICE cars. A sort of trickle up policy?
Being quite a small country, I wonder if we could get away with buying ex-fleets from elsewhere and shipping them in. We've basically been Japan's used car salesyard for however long, what's another 10 years between friends…
I own a Prius series 3. It is the third hybrid I have owned. It is great and I really like it. It is really efficient.
Most taxis/ubers I get into are also Prius series 3s with hundreds of km on the clock and still going strong.
But it is a progression car. Next car needs to be pure electrical with no reliance on petrol.
Still, good to do your bit and then pass it down the line for someone else to do their bit at that lower price point. Hybrids aren't as good as a BEV, but still much better as an interim step than ICE, especially guzzlers.
"existing second hand market of cars that lower income families tend to purchase from will not be affected."
Not how it works in practice, higher prices on used imports WILL lead to higher prices on existing used cars. Used imports have a range of years and values and arent all 5 years and under. for example a $5000 increase on a particular new or used import will mean around $3-4000 increase in 'value' of a slightly older car of the same type
The subsidy policy supports another charge on the less affluent to subsidise the virtuous middle-class who can afford to buy e-vehicles without a subsidy anyway.
Whatever….
In fact, the point of the exercise should be to develop and incentivise policies that minimise or even eliminate the need for private vehicle ownership. The start point should providing fare-free efficient high capacity public transport, subsidised by taxing private vehicle usage in cities. (https://www.eltis.org/in-brief/news/free-public-transport-dunkirk-one-year-later)
That would require comprehensive joined up policy implementation….that dosnt appear on the agenda.
Yeah a Roger Douglas style trickle down car policy. I'd have capped it at about $35k.
But given that this country is generally fairly lightly populated, the density for major public transport is just not there in a lot of areas. If a road is not overused is there anything wrong with private vehicles? Yes there is a resource shift to remake ICE into EV ( and a lot of work still happening in this area) but we want to have a green country not have ideological pure one surely? Too much that is ideological rather than green risks turning people off.
Electric vehicles are currently scheduled to start paying Road User Charges from January 1, 2022. At the same rate as light diesel vehicles, 7.6 cents/km (plus administration fees).
Meanwhile, the 2014 hybrid Honda Fit I just really stretched my usual car budget for and spent $10.5k, is costing me 7.2 cents/km for petrol (no administration fees).
If some of the electric vehicles on the horizon with decent range and reasonable pricing actually make it here, I could seriously consider spending $35k or $40k or $50k to get myself some emissions-free near-silent driving, if there's also some operating cost savings.
But it ain't gonna happen if the RUCs for an electric vehicle are more than the petrol cost of what I have now. (I do my own maintenance, so the reduced maintenance of an ev doesn't really save me much)
I looked at the RUC stuff on the transport site. It wasn't very helpful I felt. Are RUC charges going on all EV's even the smaller vehicles not just those over 3.5 tonnes? And how does the RUC work for hybrid vehicles ? Or are they getting a free pass only paying for the tax on the petrol they buy. Do small diseal cars pay RUC now?
Are RUC charges going on all EV's even the smaller vehicles not just those over 3.5 tonnes?
Yes, that is the current plan.
And how does the RUC work for hybrid vehicles?
They don't pay now and won't pay according to the current plan.
Or are they getting a free pass only paying for the tax on the petrol they buy.
Correct. Non plug-in hybrids will be paying their contribution through petrol excise tax just like now.
I haven't seen what the proposal will be for after December 31 this year for plug-in hybrids (such as Prius Prime and Rav4 Prime and Mitsubishi Outlandish PHEV) that may in fact conceivably do all their driving on electricity. Nor for range-extended EV such as the BMW i# or Transit due to arrive here soon.
Did small diseal cars use to pay RUC?
Yes. Still do. They have been paying RUC since at least March 1999, with the same rate applying whether it's a tiny Toyota Harlot diesel or a behemoth Audi Q7 Codpiece Edition.
Road user charges will be coming for hybrid and electrical vehicles , it will happen.
The difference in RUC for light vehicles to light trucks is only $5 per 1000km.
Using the roads for MORE km is how most vehicles pay , harlot or codpiece. Weight only comes into it for much heavier trucks.
Yes, road user charges should be coming for electrics and plug-in hybrids.
But the rate kms are charged at will encourage or discourage ev uptake. At the moment, the rate that is scheduled to apply from January 1 2022 will strongly discourage ev adoption, since it will cost more per km to drive an ev than it will to drive an economical petrol powered car.
Hopefully when government recognises this as a serious issue, the whole RUC/petrol excise tax/ACC levy/registration fees system will get a long overdue complete top-to-bottom reform. Which should include getting trucking to pay a larger fairer share of our road system cost.
The savings should be in price petrol
$75 per 100 km isnt a big deal to pay for use of roads after all. the petrol cost inc roads charges is far greater
The $7.60 per 100km scheduled to be imposed on EVs is more than the $7.20 per 100 km I pay for petrol right now for my hybrid car. Of that $7.20 per 100 km, about $2.40 is the petrol excise tax that goes to paying for the roads.
Then if you pay for the electricity to charge the ev (rather than getting it for free from home solar panels, say) that's another $4 or so per 100 km.
Without changing the scheduled imposition of RUC on electric cars from the start of next year, just the operating cost of an economical petrol vehicle will be less than the operating cost of an ev. Let alone the initial purchase price disadvantage an ev will still have.
If the total fleet decreases as would be expected if the policy goals are even partially achieved then the costs of the infrastructure will be spread over a smaller pool of vehicles.
Unless there is complete funding change away from 'user pays' (albeit partially) then the costs must increase irrespective of mode of fuel…..or perhaps the infrastructure provision is reduced (?) but the opposite appears to be the case currently.
Who is expecting the total fleet to decrease and what is their basis for that expectation?
It won't be decreasing because of cost reasons, or at most cost will drive a temporary blip in the curve.
The biggest cost driver for EVs is the battery. Everything else about an EV is either cheaper or the same cost to produce as an ICE vehicle.
So as batteries continue to decrease in cost, and EV mass market penetration increases, there will be a shift from most evs on the market being performance focused to "good enough at the best price". Which will further drive down battery manufacturing costs.
"Who is expecting the total fleet to decrease and what is their basis for that expectation?"
It is a stated policy goal…to increase the use of public transport, to increase the uptake of active transport and to reduce the reliance on/use of the private vehicle fleet.
You are confusing the costs of vehicles with the costs of infrastructure….the roading , fueling provision (dual systems required for decades) and administration of the extended transition will fall on a decreasing pool of those that can afford/choose to continue private transport (population growth implications set to one side) creating a potential downward spiral of affordability.
They can have it as a stated goal. But whether it is achieved will be influenced by lots of factors, only some of which are policy choices in the hands of government.
And frankly, so far, the policy choices the government is making don't appear that they will be particularly effective in making alternatives to private vehicle transport particularly attractive to the huge majority of people.
Meanwhile, factors outside of government policy choices, including the ever decreasing cost of private transport relative to income, are pushing hard in the direction of ever increasing vehicle fleets.
I beg to differ….the increased costs of transport emissions havnt begun yet and the majority of NZers are short on discretionary income (thanks largely to housing costs) so when those increased costs begin to mount there will be less ability to meet them be it congestion charges, RUC, vehicle replacement/repair all of which will result in reduced activity ….consider what happens when fuel prices spiked in the past, use decreases by necessity…..this is that on steroids and for a considerably extended period.
Private motor vehicle use will decrease….as intended.
Have you seen the conditions the batteries are made in third world countries ? The whole landscape is destroyed and it will get worse not to mention the toxic chemicals used in the extraction and the child labour used
My electricity cost for my EV is 31c for 7.5 km for power from the grid or less if supplied by my solar panels. That is, about 4c a km. Add 7.5c per km RUC that's nearly 12c a km. My old petrol car (3 litre V6) costs 23c per km for petrol.
My EV goes from being 5 times cheaper for fuel to twice as cheap with RUC. At least I won't be chipped by my ICE mates for my free use of the roads at the moment in my EV.
The RUC charges won't persuade people to move to EVs. Continuing no charges for road use might., especially if I have not benefitted from the new 'feebate' and I keep my current EV for another ten years.
If I run an EV for 12000 km which is average, I understand, then in RUC I'll pay 7.5c times 12000 or $900 per annum. Is that enough saving from the hidden RUC in the petrol price to help persuade people to shift to EVs?
It might if the RUC component in petrol was raised, and readily featured as a cost of ICE motoring; or if petrol increased in price as a result of usual market forces, by 30c per litre some are postulating.
I hope I did the numbers correctly but according to me the RUC of $76 per 1000 km equates to a car petrol tax (at 70c per litre plus Gst) for a car that uses about 94 litres of petrol per 1000 km so a usage of 9.4Litres/100km.
But most of the cars around here are the smaller 1800cc and under, and even15-20 year old versions get around 7.0 to 7.5km per 100 litres so the RUC charges for electrics are around a bout a 20% increase going to the LTA.
That's a
– huge tax grab or increase
– and isn't going to do a thing for shifting to EV.
The moral seems to be – buy a hybrid.
I commented on Road User Charge and Fuel taxes and using individual emission measurements in 7.1 above. Probably should have read further before commenting, but I think the next review needs to re-look at the whole system for both road and rail – it may give a hint as to whether electrification of more rail is justified . . .
The estimate of the latest announcement is that it will prevent a total of 9.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions being emitted
Depends where the electricity comes from (problem with using gross estimates)
Today we are using 1.35gw of fossil fuel to generate electricity,which would need to be replaced,and additional generation for increased demand.
Whilst a reasonable policy,as opposed to the Bridge which would never be carbon neutral ( construction footprint vs mitigated emissions) questions do need to be clarified.
Of course the National Party and their supporters are agin it…
they are conservatives
and conservatives are, by definition and through history, no good when the world needs to move ahead into new territories… ever…
and so we see it repeated again before our eyes…
that conservative weight, unthinking just heavy, being hauled into the future..
Bear in mind:
in 10 years time the big car makers will not be making new models of ICE cars, and advanced economies will not be allowing them. Some manufacturers will keep some production lines going for dinosaurs like NZ.
in 20 years time it will be hard to buy petrol/diesel and the price will be high. Given our propensity for keeping cars on the road forever buying ICE cars is going to prove very expensive in the long term.
NZ households can't think beyond next week (a large percentage can't afford to) and the long term economics will not influence their decisions as much as they should, therefore putting the price on petrol (through the ETS) does not send a strong enough signal so the feebate scheme is necessary to change purchasing decisions.
Most poorer people in NZ do not buy new cars and will not be affected by this immediately. In 5+ years time when the cars that are subsidised/penalised are being sold on the second hand market the petrol price will be a more significant factor.
The petrol-heads will scream (until they discover the performance available from some electric vehicles). Most people are just interested in getting where they want to go in comfort.
National will fight any policy that is likely to make a difference. I think they have sold out to the Martians who want to alter the atmosphere/climate to the point where they can live here before they invade: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Collective_Unconscience_of_Odd_Bodkins
The news media will screw up the message and report the FUD without thought.
I really cannot see why the government cannot just offer interest free loans to people who want to buy electric cars, if they trade in their older high emission model.
Seems to be a better idea. In the 1970's we did the same to convert high emission vehicles to run on CNG. We did quite well in fact.
I have a question
Does the government really think that they can influence people to buy EV or hybrids with this policy?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125444366/invercargill-mp-and-regional-councillor-rev-up-on-electric-vehicle-policy
The policy looks very big city centric. Which is a problem, but also an opportunity for leaders in places like Southland to do the leg work on how to make to it work in rural areas. Good on pushing back against the naysayers Robert, it's such a shame that other political leaders can't see how to serve people better for the long haul.