We don’t have a photo of Andrew Leigh in his Tesla, but we do have one of him using a Telstra pay phone.
Labor MP Andrew Leigh, a former junior economics spokesman, says he has joined the ranks of federal parliamentarians owning a Tesla Model 3, but says that while they are “terrific” fun, they – and other electric vehicles – are too expensive.
In a speech to parliament on Wednesday debating Labor’s proposed tax relief for EVs – including the removal of import tax on some cars and the exclusion from FBT – Leigh said he switched to a Model 3 at the start of the year.
“It is an absolute joy to drive,” Leigh said. “They are an extraordinary piece of technology.
“We don’t have to choose between jobs and dealing with climate change. We don’t have to choose between a car that’s fun to drive and dealing with climate change. With electric vehicles you can have all of those things. These are vehicles which are a lot more fun to drive. They are also quieter, more energy efficient and cheaper.
“Teslas are terrific fun, but they’re too expensive right now, and this bill seeks to address the challenge of affordability.”
Leigh joins a handful of other Labor parliamentarians already driving EVs, including current climate and energy minister Chris Bowen, NDIS and government services minister Bill Shorten and WA-based MP Patrick Gorman.
Leigh lamented the fact there was little to choose from in Australia in EVs under $60,000 compared to other countries, and sales of EVs trailed the rest of the world. And Australia remains the only developed country not to have vehicle fuel standards, although it is looking to change that.
There is also a lack of charging infrastructure – which Labor is seeking to address – including at Parliament House, something previously noted by Bowen
“I imagine that, looking a decade forward, the car parks in this building will be filled with electric vehicles,” Leigh said in his speech.
“We in this building will probably need more spots to plug in electric vehicles. Right now, down in the parliamentary car park, my Tesla is plugged in to the wall, happily charging away, and it will be at 100 per cent by the time I drive home at the end of today.
“There are only a couple of power points in the wall there, and I expect this building—like many other buildings around Australia—will be updating and providing more charging stations. The simplicity of electric vehicles is that you don’t have to worry about stopping at the petrol browser, but it’s also an important cost of living measure for Australians.”
Leigh also took aim at the Coalition claims, from environment spokesman Sussan Ley, that electric utes do not exist – they already do with the Ford F150 Lightning and Rivian vehicles, and many more are on their way – and their opposition to the tax changes.
“(The Coalition) will be in the annals of history as the party that claimed electric vehicles would end the weekend. The Liberals will be in the annals of history as the party that voted against a measure to make electric vehicles more affordable.
“The Liberals are the ‘useless box’ of Australian politics. A useless box is a machine whose only purpose is to turn itself on and off, and that is the approach that the coalition takes.”
Keyword: “Terrific fun, but too expensive” Another Labor MP buys a Model 3