Transcript below.
Tom Connell
Our guest on this, Shadow Minister in the area of Climate Change and Energy, Ted O’Brien, thanks for your time. So, what do you make of this? Three options. Any of these appeal to you in particular, when you’re going through them?
Ted O’Brien
No, Tom. I think context really counts here. We are in a cost-of-living crisis and people are doing it tough, very tough. I just don’t think there are many assets, many investments more important to a family than the vehicle, the car. It costs them an absolute bomb. What the Government has come out with, they’ve called a “cost-of-living measure”. I mean, seriously?
Tom Connell
It can be pretty cheap to run.
Ted O’Brien
It’s, it’s an absolute lie for them to say it’s a cost-of-living measure. At the end of the day, this will drive costs up and it will minimize choice. It’s an emissions reduction measure and that’s okay. But they could at least just be honest with the Australian people. The whole thing has been set with this narrative that it’s a cost-of-living measure, as if the Australian people are dumb, and I just think it’s offensive.
Tom Connell
When you say, drive the prices up. Evidence of that? I mean, we want to see the Government modeling. You’re going to call for that- fair enough. We had the AAA in here as well that said to do that – don’t you want to see that? And go, ‘okay, maybe this stacks up because here’s the modeling and, you know, various departments say it’s all okay.’
Ted O’Brien
I would love to see the modeling, Tom and so if you could organise that for us, I’ll be very grateful.
Tom Connell
My point is.
Ted O’Brien
I know your point, I know your point but I do want to make that point first. They must release the modeling because nobody believes this Government. Nobody believes this is a cost-of-living measure. In fact, it’s the opposite. When it comes to the Government suggesting that it will drive costs down. They’re not talking about the full lifecycle of a vehicle. They’re not talking about the purchasing price of the vehicle. They’re silent on that; maintenance costs, insurance costs – none of this, have they talked about. The only thing they say-
Tom Connell
Maintenance cost could go down a lot, once you go electric.
Ted O’Brien
Well, the only thing they’re talking about is your running costs. And these are the things that the Government are not talking about, and if they released the modeling then all of this should be in there. But until they do, they cannot be believed – it’s an absolute lie.
Tom Connell
The alternatives you’re working on, would there be any form of efficiency or emissions standards under the Coalition.
Ted O’Brien
You know, when Labor came out this time last year, we were very quick, as a Coalition to say, ‘we’re ready to engage, we will be constructive’ And we’re also clear on what it is we’re looking out for. We want to make sure that any emissions standard would minimise cost, would maximize choice and have a genuine impact on emissions.
Tom Connell
We also don’t want to get left behind by the rest of the world, right?
Ted O’Brien
The issue being debated is not should there be an emission standard. We’ve already said we’re happy to engage constructively.
Tom Connell
How you engage constructively, is different to ‘yeah, we’ll definitely have one’. You saying, you would have one just figuring out what sort? Is that what you’re saying?
Ted O’Brien
We are saying, show us the modeling, and we will engage constructively. You’ve got to strike the balance.
Tom Connell
You just said the debate isn’t whether we will have one, but then you just didn’t commit to having one.
Ted O’Brien
Well, the Governments, the Government of the day and the Government says it wants to introduce one. If we were adamantly opposed to it, we would have said so from the get-go, we would have said so, from the get-go, but what we’ve said is, ‘show us the modeling you need to strike that right balance’. Otherwise, families, tradies, households, they all cop it in the neck on this stuff.
Tom Connell
Could it be a good thing if we actually use some of these bigger vehicles that have increasingly become the choice of Australians maybe, they’re just the choice because they go, ‘Oh, great, biggers better’, maybe it’s not always easy to fit into a car spot, bigger isn’t always better, sometimes they’re less safe on the road, some of these big cars, as well.
Ted O’Brien
I think it depends,Tom. I mean, your personal views will be different from mine probably, with the vehicle, right? And I think the..
Tom Connell
You like a big car?
Ted O’Brien
Well, with a new baby at home, the cars we are looking at might have to be bigger, but the point is you have to put the consumer at the center and Labor has failed to put the consumer at the center. If it had, it would be striking the right balance between cost, choice, and emissions reduction – it’s not.
Tom Connell
Albeit, you’ll have to see the modeling before maybe jumping to that conclusion?
Ted O’Brien
No, I think we can jump to that conclusion, now, because they’ve been outright lying by calling this a cost-of-living measure.
Tom Connell
Maybe, we need to see the modeling?
Ted O’Brien
Well, the Minister- Catherine King- was on radio, this morning. She could not answer questions directly on this, how it actually brings down costs for consumers and until they release the modeling- this is a lie, as everybody else has called it.
Tom Connell
Ted O’Brien, I appreciate your time. Thank you.
Ted O’Brien
Yours, too. Thanks, Tom.