Letter

In response to Australia’s fuel security crisis needs less diesel, not more refineries

Drivers want help to buy electric trucks

Pearls and Irritations readers might be interested to know that the Australian Trucking Association (11 industry associations representing 60,000 trucking businesses and 200,000 people working in the road freight sector) backs the move to electric trucks.

Before last year’s election the ATA wrote: “The science is in. The world’s greenhouse gas emissions are changing the climate, and a global effort is needed to reduce emissions. . . That’s why the next Australian Government should (among other things) encourage new truck purchasers to buy electric with a voucher scheme covering half the price gap between comparable electric and conventional truck models. The incentive would be available through dealerships to any truck purchaser, including small business buyers.”

It is a shame the government has not so far taken up this excellent suggestion. Maybe if they got proper payment for our gas, reduced fossil fuel subsidies or demanded fair compensation for climate pollution they could afford to help decarbonise and improve our trucks.

— Lesley Walker from Northcote