“This discussion paper is an admission of failure from the government when it comes to electric vehicles,” said Richie Merzian, Director of The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program.

“After waiting years for a much touted electric vehicle strategy, Australia now has little more than a wafer thin discussion paper that doesn’t even exclusively focus on EVs anymore.

“This grab bag of unambitious measures, containing insufficient funding for charging stations and a handful of energy studies and trials, will certainly not transform Australia’s transport sector to zero emissions technologies in the time frame that is required.

“While nations such as Norway are on track to hit 100% of their new car sales being EVs in five years’ time, Australia is at risk of being left behind, relying on a fleet of dirty, old clunkers. The government has taken far too long to release this paper and delivered far too little in terms of the concrete proposals for change that are so badly needed in Australia.”