The Tasmanian Government’s draft Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plan (ERRP) for transport lacks all ambition. It introduces no new targets, actions or timelines to decarbonise the sector, and in its current form, is unlikely to lead to a reduction in transport emissions. Without significant revision, the ERRP will leave Tasmania with some of the weakest transport emissions reduction commitments in Australia. The Australia Institute recommends that the final ERRP adopts a range of targets and actions that demonstrate a commitment to climate action.
The Australia Institute recommends including the following commitments and targets in the final ERRP:
- Set a transport sector emissions reduction target of a 37% reduction on 2020 levels by 2030.
- Commence an e-bike library trial in Tasmanian towns.
- Introduce a grant program to support businesses to switch to cargo e-bikes.
- Set a target of 67% of new passenger vehicle sales to be EVs by 2030, and 100% by 2035.
- Commit to introducing stamp-duty and registration waivers to incentivise EV uptake, as well as introducing more equitable and incentivising purchase-price incentives than the current rebate.
- Include a target of 100% of new bus purchases being electric by 2025, and 100% of the bus fleet being electric by 2030.
- Increase public transport accessibility to 49% by making public transport services cheaper, more frequent and more reliable in both urban and non-urban areas.
- Commit to developing Hobart’s northern suburbs railway, between Bridgewater and the CBD.
- Develop an online reporting platform to track emissions from Tasmania’s transport sector.