Taxing large vehicles, like the F-150s and Rams that are gaining some popularity is fair. They're way too big for inner city parking spaces in any city in Australia.
Assuming your statement of being "too big" is somehow absolute rather than relative, how would you apply a tax that only impacted those that are used in the "inner city"? Or are you only worried about the inner city because that impacts you, and you don't care about the bumpkins in the country drinking packet instant coffee with milk rather than a triple spiced chai pumpkin latte with sprinkles in a corn starch keep cup?
if the length/width of any private vehicle (a ram 2500 being 6m x 2.5m) exceeds the length of a car parking space, which in Australia is 5.4m, then they're creating a burden on how public space (that you and I pay for with our taxes) to have either supply larger and therefor fewer parking spaces, or to jut out into roadways/other car parks causing congestion as people search for parks, or need to maneovour around vehicles in roadways and therefor additional economic issues. The location these cars are registered, or the parking tax such as the Council is suggested needs to be understood and applied to make sure that the drivers of these vehicles aren't being subsidised. If they're registered in these inner city councils then a tax should be acceptable, but if they're registered out in the the country sipping on their instant coffee & milk, then there shouldn't be any problems right?
@@nick666809fair point about parking length. But if the owners are also paying tax, they aren't exactly freeloading "others". I'm not arguing that RAMs in the CBD are a good idea, but taxes are a blunt and imperfect behavioural tool that will have untended consequence. I'd suggest making smaller parks and enforcing parking violations strictly with heavy fines would have the effect of tax (financial disincentive) while also targeting the specific behaviour (parking in a manner that is a burden to others) without all the admin that would come with a vehicle (or vehicle type) specific tax.
Interesting on all points. But I have been driving for 52 years and recently picked up an X-Trail epower TI. I had absolutely no problems transitioning from normal to hybrid and although it is AWD and a much bigger car than the Qashqai I have early fuel figures (best 4.8 l/100 and average of 5.8 l/100, if the computer is accurate). And no CVT. The wait times are so much better for the Nissans by months as opposed to years. As for the councils on bigger vehicles they should get back on their bikes and ride off into the sunset. Great podcast.
If people wanted EVs, cheap second hand Nissan Leafs would be a top seller. Tesla is arguably as much about image as it is about the EV consideration. If they were ugly and considered second only to a Lada Niva in "coolness" would they be as popular? Would they still be "top 10" just because they are an EV?
Don't be silly, this is a greens stacked council, so there is no way they'll tax a 3.5t EV. It's blatant discrimination against people's personal choices.
Just to comment on suggestions that they would tax on weight of vehicles, that would mean EVs would be taxed more as they weigh more than their combustion engine equivalent. The governments and councils have no clue
Actually that is kind of the point, and it’s a fairer way to tax vehicles versus fuel excise. Heavier vehicles have more impact on roads, use more fuel/electricity, produce more car on emissions etc.
Tax is an income as much as a behavioural incentive. If the goal is to cover the costs of infrastructure maintenance then taxing by weight makes sense. If the goal is to incentivise people to use EV/Hybrids, taxing by weight makes poor sense. Probably a good idea to understand the objective or goal before passing judgment on the merit of the action taken.
Don’t hate me but I feel slightly dumber after this episode. Rego-based parking charges wouldn’t require a huge bespoke system, and even if it did it would pay for itself pretty damned quickly! He’s a Greens Councillor not a Senator, because it’s Yarra City Council. And Vic EV tax failed because the High Court ruled it was an excise and constitutionally only the Cth Gov can impose excises. Which means (Gold Star to Samurai James!!) Treasurers will likely move to introduce a federal EV excise soon to recoup fuel excise money not being paid by EVs. It would be great to use your platform to push for an actual discussion about how we tax vehicles going forward, intelligently. I agree about VW ditching established nomenclature tho. Pointless???
