Page 3320 - Week 11 - Thursday, 11 November 2021
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EV charging infrastructure, but what we are finding is that most people who live in a house just plug it into the socket at home. That is what we do. We do not have a charger; we just plug it into the wall. Fast chargers are going to be really important for people in apartments and for people travelling, and we definitely need to get on and build that network.
I would also like to see that Sustainable Household Scheme expand. I would really like to see some other zero emissions transport options included in it. For some households, any car will be out of reach, even with a big loan. I would like the scheme to include e-bikes. These are much, much cheaper than cars. Many cost around $2,000. They can replace a vehicle. I know a lot of people who have switched their car commute for an e-bike commute. These will allow so many more households to access the scheme and to drop their emissions right to zero overnight. E-bikes would be a perfect way to participate for the 100,000 Canberra households who rent or who live in apartments and who want to get around and cut their emissions.
E-motorbikes should also be included. Diesel motorbikes are more efficient than cars but they have surprisingly high emissions for their size. An electric version of motorbikes, an e-motorbike, just takes those tailpipe emissions to zero overnight. I would also like to see this scheme expand if we find that it is not working quickly enough. We are in a climate emergency and we need to act like it.
Most countries with high EV uptake offered grants rather than loans. I really hope that in the ACT we will consider grants if we are finding that our uptake is not growing quickly enough. EVs are marvellous but they cannot be our only transport solution. They still cause some of the problems that internal combustion cars cause. They create congestion and they take up a lot of space. Not everyone can drive and, for many people, any car will be too expensive. That is why our climate change and transport strategies set out the need to rethink transport altogether.
We need to reduce our car use, we need to increase active and public transport and we need to build a compact and efficient city. We need the fewest cars on the road possible, and every single one of those cars should be an EV.
We need to do everything we can to help people make better choices to cut emissions. We need great public transport, and it needs to be zero emissions as soon as possible. We need programs and great infrastructure to support our active transport. We need really innovative last-mile solutions, like the e-scooters. And we need to help everyone switch their old internal combustion car for an EV, an e-bike or an e-motorbike as quickly as possible.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Arts—Statement of Ambition
Ministerial statement
MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra—Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Business and Better Regulation, Minister for Human Rights and Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (11.20): I welcome the
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