The NZ Motor Industry Association president Andy Sinclair is calling the government’s decision to reduce Clean Car fees on used imported vehicles from April 1, ‘a slap in the face for sensible environmental outcomes.’
“We do not need increased numbers of older high polluting vehicles on our roads,” Sinclair says.
“However this is exactly what will happen with the change in fees, as it will make it easier for used importers to continue importing dirty old clunkers, invariably arriving in the country with worn tyres and batteries creating immediate recycling issues.
“The Government’s decision is disappointing and a slap in the face for sensible environmental outcomes.”
“We have a fleet with an average age of more than 14 years. Older vehicles are less clean than brand new models and comparably less safe.
“It is hard to fathom the rationale for this decision and continues a pattern of puzzling and illogical decisions by the government rather than a range of sensible policies that would facilitate cleaning up our dirty old fleet,” he says.
