Latest news with #EhssanVeiszadeh
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
'Don't slam brakes on EVs': sparks fly over fee push
Motorists could face distance-based fees to drive on Australian roads as part of a proposed tax change expected to be on the menu of Treasurer Jim Chalmers' economic roundtable. Momentum is building for a road user charge, seen by one federal frontbencher as a "sensible" solution to fund road maintenance as more people switch to electric vehicles. But EV owners are urging the government not to slow the transition from internal combustion. The tax change was flagged by the treasurer during a speech in June, saying he was working with the states and territories "on the future of road-user charging" for EVs. A group of transport industry leaders, convened by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, met on Monday to discuss a preferred model for a road user charge. Roads Australia chief executive Ehssan Veiszadeh attended the meeting and said without changes, Australia risked falling short on the infrastructure needed to support its growing population and economy. Money collected as part of the fuel excise is allocated for fixing roads, but concerns have been raised there will be less set aside in coming years as the number of EVs increases. "Without reform, we risk a future where our roads are underfunded, unsafe, and unable to support the demands of a growing population," Mr Veiszadeh said. No public recommendations were released from the meeting but the infrastructure partnerships group will use the discussion as the basis for a briefing to Treasury before next week's roundtable. The government had an opportunity to promote EV uptake by using the revenue generated from a road user charge to roll out charging infrastructure, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia chief executive Adrian Dwyer said. "The primary impediment to the greater uptake of electric vehicles is range anxiety - we can kill two birds with one stone by future-proofing our funding system and paying for the charging network that will drive EV uptake," he said. While the federal government has maintained the issue is for states and territories, frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said the idea of a tax for EV users made sense. "I don't think anything's happening tomorrow, but I do think it's sensible ... for the states and territories, to look long term at what they do, to make sure that there's enough money to build the roads that people want to drive on," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Victoria tried to put in place a two cent per kilometre charge on EV users in 2023, but the proposal was overruled by the High Court, effectively banning states from implementing a road user charge and leaving the issue in the lap of the Commonwealth. NSW has assumed one will eventually be implemented regardless. In its latest budget, the state's treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, forecast a road user charge kicking in by 2027/28, which is estimated to bring in $73 million. New Zealand has a road user charge scheme for EVs based on vehicle weight and distance driven. Last week the NZ government announced petrol cars would also have to pay the charge, while its fuel excise would be scrapped. EV owners group the Australian Electric Vehicle Association said any road user charge must be universal and not incentivise internal combustion vehicles over EVs. The introduction of road user charges should not slam the brakes on Australia's shift to clean transport, Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Julie Delvecchio said. "Reforms should only apply once electric vehicles reach 30 per cent of new vehicle sales." EVs accounted for about 12 per cent of new car sales in the first half of 2025. Coalition senator Jane Hume said more needed to be done to fix ailing roads, which a broader road tax could achieve. Motorists could face distance-based fees to drive on Australian roads as part of a proposed tax change expected to be on the menu of Treasurer Jim Chalmers' economic roundtable. Momentum is building for a road user charge, seen by one federal frontbencher as a "sensible" solution to fund road maintenance as more people switch to electric vehicles. But EV owners are urging the government not to slow the transition from internal combustion. The tax change was flagged by the treasurer during a speech in June, saying he was working with the states and territories "on the future of road-user charging" for EVs. A group of transport industry leaders, convened by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, met on Monday to discuss a preferred model for a road user charge. Roads Australia chief executive Ehssan Veiszadeh attended the meeting and said without changes, Australia risked falling short on the infrastructure needed to support its growing population and economy. Money collected as part of the fuel excise is allocated for fixing roads, but concerns have been raised there will be less set aside in coming years as the number of EVs increases. "Without reform, we risk a future where our roads are underfunded, unsafe, and unable to support the demands of a growing population," Mr Veiszadeh said. No public recommendations were released from the meeting but the infrastructure partnerships group will use the discussion as the basis for a briefing to Treasury before next week's roundtable. The government had an opportunity to promote EV uptake by using the revenue generated from a road user charge to roll out charging infrastructure, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia chief executive Adrian Dwyer said. "The primary impediment to the greater uptake of electric vehicles is range anxiety - we can kill two birds with one stone by future-proofing our funding system and paying for the charging network that will drive EV uptake," he said. While the federal government has maintained the issue is for states and territories, frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said the idea of a tax for EV users made sense. "I don't think anything's happening tomorrow, but I do think it's sensible ... for the states and territories, to look long term at what they do, to make sure that there's enough money to build the roads that people want to drive on," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Victoria tried to put in place a two cent per kilometre charge on EV users in 2023, but the proposal was overruled by the High Court, effectively banning states from implementing a road user charge and leaving the issue in the lap of the Commonwealth. NSW has assumed one will eventually be implemented regardless. In its latest budget, the state's treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, forecast a road user charge kicking in by 2027/28, which is estimated to bring in $73 million. New Zealand has a road user charge scheme for EVs based on vehicle weight and distance driven. Last week the NZ government announced petrol cars would also have to pay the charge, while its fuel excise would be scrapped. EV owners group the Australian Electric Vehicle Association said any road user charge must be universal and not incentivise internal combustion vehicles over EVs. The introduction of road user charges should not slam the brakes on Australia's shift to clean transport, Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Julie Delvecchio said. "Reforms should only apply once electric vehicles reach 30 per cent of new vehicle sales." EVs accounted for about 12 per cent of new car sales in the first half of 2025. Coalition senator Jane Hume said more needed to be done to fix ailing roads, which a broader road tax could achieve. Motorists could face distance-based fees to drive on Australian roads as part of a proposed tax change expected to be on the menu of Treasurer Jim Chalmers' economic roundtable. Momentum is building for a road user charge, seen by one federal frontbencher as a "sensible" solution to fund road maintenance as more people switch to electric vehicles. But EV owners are urging the government not to slow the transition from internal combustion. The tax change was flagged by the treasurer during a speech in June, saying he was working with the states and territories "on the future of road-user charging" for EVs. A group of transport industry leaders, convened by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, met on Monday to discuss a preferred model for a road user charge. Roads Australia chief executive Ehssan Veiszadeh attended the meeting and said without changes, Australia risked falling short on the infrastructure needed to support its growing population and economy. Money collected as part of the fuel excise is allocated for fixing roads, but concerns have been raised there will be less set aside in coming years as the number of EVs increases. "Without reform, we risk a future where our roads are underfunded, unsafe, and unable to support the demands of a growing population," Mr Veiszadeh said. No public recommendations were released from the meeting but the infrastructure partnerships group will use the discussion as the basis for a briefing to Treasury before next week's roundtable. The government had an opportunity to promote EV uptake by using the revenue generated from a road user charge to roll out charging infrastructure, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia chief executive Adrian Dwyer said. "The primary impediment to the greater uptake of electric vehicles is range anxiety - we can kill two birds with one stone by future-proofing our funding system and paying for the charging network that will drive EV uptake," he said. While the federal government has maintained the issue is for states and territories, frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said the idea of a tax for EV users made sense. "I don't think anything's happening tomorrow, but I do think it's sensible ... for the states and territories, to look long term at what they do, to make sure that there's enough money to build the roads that people want to drive on," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Victoria tried to put in place a two cent per kilometre charge on EV users in 2023, but the proposal was overruled by the High Court, effectively banning states from implementing a road user charge and leaving the issue in the lap of the Commonwealth. NSW has assumed one will eventually be implemented regardless. In its latest budget, the state's treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, forecast a road user charge kicking in by 2027/28, which is estimated to bring in $73 million. New Zealand has a road user charge scheme for EVs based on vehicle weight and distance driven. Last week the NZ government announced petrol cars would also have to pay the charge, while its fuel excise would be scrapped. EV owners group the Australian Electric Vehicle Association said any road user charge must be universal and not incentivise internal combustion vehicles over EVs. The introduction of road user charges should not slam the brakes on Australia's shift to clean transport, Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Julie Delvecchio said. "Reforms should only apply once electric vehicles reach 30 per cent of new vehicle sales." EVs accounted for about 12 per cent of new car sales in the first half of 2025. Coalition senator Jane Hume said more needed to be done to fix ailing roads, which a broader road tax could achieve. Motorists could face distance-based fees to drive on Australian roads as part of a proposed tax change expected to be on the menu of Treasurer Jim Chalmers' economic roundtable. Momentum is building for a road user charge, seen by one federal frontbencher as a "sensible" solution to fund road maintenance as more people switch to electric vehicles. But EV owners are urging the government not to slow the transition from internal combustion. The tax change was flagged by the treasurer during a speech in June, saying he was working with the states and territories "on the future of road-user charging" for EVs. A group of transport industry leaders, convened by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, met on Monday to discuss a preferred model for a road user charge. Roads Australia chief executive Ehssan Veiszadeh attended the meeting and said without changes, Australia risked falling short on the infrastructure needed to support its growing population and economy. Money collected as part of the fuel excise is allocated for fixing roads, but concerns have been raised there will be less set aside in coming years as the number of EVs increases. "Without reform, we risk a future where our roads are underfunded, unsafe, and unable to support the demands of a growing population," Mr Veiszadeh said. No public recommendations were released from the meeting but the infrastructure partnerships group will use the discussion as the basis for a briefing to Treasury before next week's roundtable. The government had an opportunity to promote EV uptake by using the revenue generated from a road user charge to roll out charging infrastructure, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia chief executive Adrian Dwyer said. "The primary impediment to the greater uptake of electric vehicles is range anxiety - we can kill two birds with one stone by future-proofing our funding system and paying for the charging network that will drive EV uptake," he said. While the federal government has maintained the issue is for states and territories, frontbencher Tanya Plibersek said the idea of a tax for EV users made sense. "I don't think anything's happening tomorrow, but I do think it's sensible ... for the states and territories, to look long term at what they do, to make sure that there's enough money to build the roads that people want to drive on," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Victoria tried to put in place a two cent per kilometre charge on EV users in 2023, but the proposal was overruled by the High Court, effectively banning states from implementing a road user charge and leaving the issue in the lap of the Commonwealth. NSW has assumed one will eventually be implemented regardless. In its latest budget, the state's treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, forecast a road user charge kicking in by 2027/28, which is estimated to bring in $73 million. New Zealand has a road user charge scheme for EVs based on vehicle weight and distance driven. Last week the NZ government announced petrol cars would also have to pay the charge, while its fuel excise would be scrapped. EV owners group the Australian Electric Vehicle Association said any road user charge must be universal and not incentivise internal combustion vehicles over EVs. The introduction of road user charges should not slam the brakes on Australia's shift to clean transport, Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Julie Delvecchio said. "Reforms should only apply once electric vehicles reach 30 per cent of new vehicle sales." EVs accounted for about 12 per cent of new car sales in the first half of 2025. Coalition senator Jane Hume said more needed to be done to fix ailing roads, which a broader road tax could achieve.
Herald Sun
30-04-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Union thuggery adds billions to major Victorian projects
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News. Up to $3 billion is being added to every $10bn worth of major projects due to 'weaponised' industrial relations and poor productivity, a peak transport body says. In a significant intervention just a few days ahead of the federal election, Roads Australia has called for whoever forms government to address construction woes that are 'impacting living standards and putting unnecessary pressure on already constrained government budgets'. Roads Australia chief executive, Ehssan Veiszadeh, said direct shutdowns of public sector mega projects due to union stop works could cost up to $5m a day. Overall, productivity problems could cause delays of many months and building giants looking to invest in Australia were adding up to 30 per cent to total budgets as a result. Mr Veiszadeh pointed the finger at union militancy which has helped cripple productivity, including through the use of intimidation and threats of violence to achieve industrial outcomes. 'On major public infrastructure worksites, workplace safety has not only been undermined – it has been weaponised,' Mr Veiszadeh said. 'Often industrial action has targeted critical works such as concrete pours, which can have a cost impact of tens of millions of dollars. 'In the context of an unprecedented shift in geopolitics, a cost-of-living crisis and significant budgetary pressures, it is essential that we have an industrial relations environment that is productive and provides certainty of time and cost.' Last year the Albanese Government put the CFMEU into administration, with investigators finding the union had been infiltrated by bikies and underworld figures. The Herald Sun this month revealed that union figures and allies remains in control of the Big Build, which triggered an appeal to construction giants by Victorian Infrastructure Development Authority boss Kevin Devlin to dob in figures of 'ill repute' and report bad behaviour. Mr Veiszadeh said boosting productivity was 'not incompatible with fair remuneration and conditions' but required workplaces where mutual respect enabled quick outcomes to be reached between employers and employees. Mega projects in Victoria have been battered by budget blowouts in recent years. This includes the West Gate Tunnel, which is $4bn over budget, and the Metro Tunnel, which is $4.5bn over budget. The North East Link, which is the most expensive road project in Victoria's history and will connect the M80 in Greensborough to the Eastern Fwy in Bulleen, is set to cost $26.1bn after being initially priced at $15.8bn. In recent years a pipeline of major projects in Victoria has slowed, albeit from record highs. 'Whether it is transport, housing, health, energy or social services, poor productivity outcomes will leave us unable to pay for the infrastructure our communities need,' Mr Veiszadeh said.
