Is the “world’s worst electric vehicle policy” really so bad? - Podcast

Is the “world’s worst electric vehicle policy” really so bad?

by Marion Terrill, Natasha Bradshaw

14.08.2023 Podcast
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Dubbed by some as the “world’s worst electric vehicle policy”, Victoria introduced a per-kilometre charge on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in 2021. EV drivers were so riled up about the charge that they headed to the High Court to fight it. We’re now awaiting the High Court’s decision, which will determine whether state governments have the constitutional authority to impose the tax.

But is it really such a bad policy? And, more broadly, why is Australia so far behind other countries in making the switch from high-polluting petrol and diesel vehicles to EVs?

In this latest Grattan Podcast, our transport experts Marion Terrill and Natasha Bradshaw discuss the implications of the High Court case for revenue-raising, electric vehicle take-up, and the future of road-user charging.

Marion Terrill
Transport and Cities Program Director
Marion is a leading transport and cities expert with a long history in public policy. She has worked on tax policy for the federal Treasury, and led the design and development of the MyGov account. She has provided expert analysis and advice on labour market policy for the Federal Government, the Business Council of Australia, and at the Australian National University.

Natasha Bradshaw
Associate
Natasha Bradshaw is an Associate in Grattan Institute’s Transport and Cities Program. She previously worked at the Australian Treasury, with a focus on structural issues in the labour market and barriers to women’s economic security.

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