Changes make scheme ‘futile’
Opposition parties have criticised the government’s plans to slash penalty fees charged on new and used imported vehicles under the clean car standard (CCS).
Julie Anne Genter, the Green Party’s transport spokesperson, accused the coalition of caving into industry demands by “gutting” the scheme.
“This government is so deeply in the pocket of industry, it will dispense with any progressive climate policy to keep big business happy,” she says.
“National promised to retain the clean car standard, but their changes will render it utterly futile.
“Meanwhile, their promise to build 10,000 EV chargers by 2030 is far from fruition, with just 57 built this year.
“The government’s scrapping of the clean car discount [CCD] and now their weakening of the standard will only result in more polluting vehicles on our roads and higher fuel bills.
“If the government really cared about reducing New Zealanders’ transport costs, they’d invest in public transport and bring back the half-price fares for children that they canned. Instead, they’re bailing out the car industry and propping up one of our highest-emitting sectors.”
Chris Bishop, Minister of Transport, and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on November 17 plans to reduce CCS penalties for 2026 and 2027 and to conduct a full review of the scheme next year.
Genter notes the Greens, if they were in power, would help people to get off fossil fuels by investing in public transport, supporting consumers to purchase EVs and investing in renewable energy.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the government stating the standard was not working in its current form was a problem it had created itself after axeing the CCD.
“It was ironic to see Chris Bishop and the Prime Minister complaining that there aren’t enough electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles on the used car market,” he says.
“That’s because they collapsed the importation of electric vehicles when they cancelled the clean car discount.
“They made it much more expensive for New Zealanders to buy electric vehicles and to buy low-emissions hybrid vehicles and now they’re complaining there aren’t enough used versions of those on the market.”
Hipkins says Labour’s clean car policies for the 2026 election will be announced next year.
