Four independent candidate seeking to use the Coalition’s poor track record on electric vehicles to leverage support from voters are ‘walking the talk’ and campaigning in EVs – two Tesla Model 3s, an electric Kona and an electric bus.
Independent MP for Warringah, Zali Steggall, unveiled a freshly branded electric bus in Sydney on Thursday, with prominent branding that Steggall says is a demonstration of her commitment to supporting Australia’s stalled electric vehicle market.
The bus will serve as a ‘mobile office’ for the Steggall campaign and will be used to transport volunteers between events.
Steggall says she has engaged local businesses for the campaign bus, including a partnership with paints business Colormaker – based in the Warringah electorate – to keep the bus charged using the company’s onsite solar panels at its Brookvale factory.
The bus, built by Yutong, has been supplied by Australian-based electric bus operator Electromotive. The bus’s ‘Team Zali’ livery has also been added by a company based within the Warringah electorate.
Steggall says supporting the growth of Australia’s electric vehicle industry would be a key priority for her and other independents, and urged any incoming government to do the same.
“Climate change should be a priority for the next government, in the interests of both our environment and our economy, and the electric-powered Team Zali campaign bus is testament to the fact that electrifying transport is a top-order issue for me and the people of Warringah,” Steggall said.
Joining Steggall at the launch of her electric campaign bus was North Sydney independent candidate Kylea Tink, and independent candidate for Mackellar, Dr Sophie Scamps.
Tink, who has pledged to introduce private members legislation to establish national vehicle emissions standards if elected, has deployed a branded electric Hyundai Kona as her own campaign vehicle.
Tink is looking to unseat moderate Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman from the North Sydney electorate and says Australia is becoming a dumping ground for high-emitting petrol vehicles due to the lack of meaningful national vehicle standards.
“Very few people in Australia can currently even get access to an EV even if they have the financial resources to do so,” Tink said.
“A key barrier in that process is the fact that our market is one of the last markets in the world where manufacturers can literally sell the least efficient vehicles running on dirty fossil fuels.”
“The minister has had the discretionary power for a number of years now to actually introduce vehicle and fuel emission standards. And this government has chosen to not pursue that course of action.”
Dr Scamps, who is challenging another moderate Liberal, Jason Falinski, in the Mackellar electorate, has adopted a Tesla Model 3 as her own electric vehicle.
Scamps says that she would push for federal electric vehicle incentives to match those currently being offered by state and territory governments.
“What I’m calling for is for the federal government to match the state’s rebates, including $3,000 rebates on new electric vehicles, for the first 100,000 cars that are bought in Australia,” Scamps said.
“This will take us up to at least 10 per cent of EV sales, and this is just to kick start things in Australia.”
To really start growing that EV market here, and to send the signal to the international community that we do want EVs in this country and we’re not happy to be a dumping ground for the highest emission vehicles,” Scamps added.
The trio join Monique Ryan, who is launching an independent challenge to treasurer Josh Frydenberg for the seat of Kooyong, who has also adopted a branded Tesla for her election campaign.
Today I unveiled my electric vehicle policy.
Interest in EVs is sky high but few international models are available in Australia, they’re too expensive, & there’re not enough fast chargers.https://t.co/zU8Ykvvrle
As Member for #Kooyong, I’ll work to make EVs more affordable. pic.twitter.com/wRWo2AueRq
— Dr Monique Ryan (@Mon4Kooyong) April 27, 2022
The roll out of EVs for the campaign trail – it should be noted that Liberal MP Katie Allen is also campaigning in her Model 3 – contrast sharply with the 2019 campaign when the Coalition demonised EVs as being unfit for the weekend, or for towing.
The independent campaigns were backed by the CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council, Behyad Jafari, who welcomed the independent candidates stepping up to fill a policy gap left by the Morrison government.
“Unfortunately, the government has been asleep at the wheel on EVs, and it’s Australians that have suffered,” Jafari said.
“Standards, targets and incentives are the policy trifecta, making electric vehicles more accessible and affordable for all Australians, so it’s pleasing to see these independent candidates are awake to the problem and looking at how they could make a difference.”