Australian Conservation Foundation Calling For Mandatory Fuel Efficiency Standards

THE AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION Fund (ACF) is calling for the Federal Government to make fuel efficiency standards mandatory for all new cars sold in Australia.

Seeking standards equivalent to "at least" those of Europe, ACF representative Gail Broadbent said the Government's current requirement that all new cars bear a sticker outlining the vehicle's economy and emissions figures is not enough.

“Australian cars should meet at least the European standard and should meet mandatory targets for alternative fuels on a greenhouse weighted basis, without favouring particular technologies or fuels," Ms Broadbent said.

Ms Broadbent described the Australian car industry's failure to meet voluntary efficiency targets in 1983, 1987 and 2000 as concerning, and said that the industry is again unlikely to meet a 2010 agreement to achieve an average fuel efficiency of 6.8 l/100km.

“Meanwhile new cars sold in Europe are already on average 40 percent more efficient than new cars sold in Australia – and standards in the EU are about to get tougher," Ms Broadbent said.

A spokesperson for Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, said that the Government is reviewing feedback from the industry and the public on the question of mandatory fuel efficiency targets.