Today’s face of the day Green MP and Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter will not be very happy at the news that New Zealand’s hand brake has done it again.
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.
[…] 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.
[…] The policy was announced by Green Party Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter last July and went out for consultation, which finished in August. Little has been heard on the policy since then.
[…] it came under intense scrutiny from the National Party, which launched an aggressive online ad campaign, labelling the policy a “car tax“.
[…] The policy would make some cars up to $8000 cheaper, while others would be $3000 more expensive.
[…] Money from the charges levied on polluting vehicles would be used to pay for the subsidy on cheaper vehicles.
Attacks on the policy criticised the fact that motorists in rural areas who could not purchase subsidised cars would be hit by the additional fee.
NZ First was lobbied by rural industries that it would have a regressive impact.
Stuff
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