It’s really a side issue to the quality and performance of an EV. We are currently not spoilt for choice or affordable models, although
Starting at $25,999 plus on road costs plus a battery lease cost, if I read the spiel correctly?
Whether we call petrol excise a general tax, a road use tax (or a carbon pollution tax as some EV owners might suggest) it’s part of the costs for users of petrol diesel and lpg vehicle owners.
If EV’s owners do not contribute the same based on their road use, isn’t everyone else that pays taxes subsidising the EV owners road use. This would include those tax payers who do not own a motor vehicle. (Most Aussies pay tax, notably gst which goes back to the states.) Eventually the revenue lost under the status quo as EV numbers increase needs to be made up by someone from somewhere. Why not the road user?
If governments are going to subsidise EV’s to encourage change, call it a subsidy, publish the cost to the community and declare who is benefiting.
If it is equal to the loss of petrol excise (a federal tax) let the Govt in Canberra make that call. A road user tax as per SA is really a new state tax, and goes against the intent of the GST to reduce the number of taxes at state level. Of course how is SA going to tax interstate travellers if their states do not apply the tax, and how can SA apply the tax fairly if you live near the border and drive 50% outside SA?
