Petrol, Diesel Drivers Could Be Charged Special Fee to Enter Australia’s Capital

An electric car is seen recharging at an ActewAGL charging station in Canberra, Australia, on March 21, 2022. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

Authorities in Canberra have not ruled out charging petrol and diesel car drivers a special fee to enter the nation’s capital as part of an ongoing push towards lower emissions.

The Labor-Greens government is facing criticism over its decision to embrace the C40’s “Green and Healthy Streets Accelerator” concept, which calls on governments to only operate zero-emission buses from 2025 and establish a “zero-emission” zone within their city by 2030.

The C40 grouping, which includes London, Los Angeles, and Seattle, comprises some of the world’s most populated cities and focuses on coordinating policies on climate change.

A spokesperson for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government said it would not ban the use of petrol or diesel vehicles within city limits but said it wanted to provide “better choice and opportunities” to use zero-emission vehicles, public transport, walking, and riding.

“We will work with other leading cities who are tackling climate change to share ideas on effective policies and initiatives that drive down transport emissions and transport costs for consumers,” the spokesperson told The Epoch Times.

“In May, the highest-selling SUV in Australia was an electric vehicle, but the Canberra [Opposition] Liberals are stuck in the past arguing against action to promote zero-emission vehicle uptake and other sustainable and affordable transport options.”

A general view of the roads around the Parliament House building in Canberra, Australia, on Aug. 13, 2021. (Jamila Toderas/AFP via Getty Images)

Labor-Greens Back Global City Climate Change Pledge

In early May, Labor backbencher Suzanne Orr moved a successful motion for Canberra to be the first Australian city to sign up for the Green and Healthy Streets Accelerator.

The move means city officials will likely consider a range of proposals to reduce the amount of petrol and diesel vehicles on their roads.

The most notable example is the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) adopted by Mayor Sadiq Khan’s administration in London which covers a vast expanse of the metropolitan area.

British drivers of hydrogen or battery-powered cars can enter the ULEZ for free, while those driving regular cars (even hybrids) must pay 12.50 pounds.

A sign at the expanded boundary of London’s ULEZ pollution charge zone for older vehicles on Oct. 25, 2021. (Yui Mok/PA)

License plate numbers are tracked to ensure compliance. The scheme has been adopted by several other UK cities, including Bath, Birmingham, and Glasgow.

Authorities in Oslo, Norway, have adopted a different approach using a three-tiered “toll ring” system that encapsulates the nation’s capital. Drivers are charged once crossing the outermost ring into the city but are tolled every time they cross the two inner rings.

Diesel drivers face the highest tolls, followed by petrol, electric, and then hydrogen drivers, who can travel free.

Opposition Calls the Move Discriminatory

The ACT Liberal Party has called the territory government’s plan discriminatory.

“These anti-car policies tend to have a high impact on families with children who often need a private car for multiple pick-up and drop-off points, as well as lower socio-economic Canberrans and those with a disability,” said Shadow Minister for Transport Mark Parton.

“It is astounding the government continues to push an anti-car agenda while at the same time being responsible for one of the worst performing public transport systems in the country,” he told the Legislative Assembly.

While Advocacy for Inclusion CEO, Craig Wallace, warned that it was “oversimplistic” to assume only high-income individuals drove polluting vehicles and could afford extra fees.

“Some people with disabilities drive older vehicles (and larger vehicles) due to poverty and practical issues in the design of new vehicles,” Wallace said in a statement.

“The reality is that some people with disabilities and older people are totally reliant on cars for essential travel for work, education, services, family, recreation, and medical appointments.”

The ACT Labor-Greens Coalition is arguably at the vanguard of implementing net zero policies in Australia.

By 2035, the sale of new internal combustion vehicles will be phased out, and by 2030, around 90 percent of new car sales need to be electric vehicles, according to the Territory’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Strategy.

On June 28, the ACT also outlined $85 million in its budget for electrification of schools, hospitals, and emergency services.

Further, the Territory currently aims to reach zero emissions by 2045 and claims that 100 percent of its energy needs come from renewable sources.

Yet, ACT officials have conceded that the region actually draws around 95 percent of its energy needs from the National Energy Market—run on coal and gas—and later purchases power from renewable sources (outside of the ACT) to “feed” back to the system. It is through this method the ACT “offsets” its carbon footprint.