Coronavirus NSW: thousands demand car rego relief
Pressure is mounting on the state government to slash car rego and insurance costs for families struggling during the coronavirus lockdown with 10,000 people signing a national petition.
NSW
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Thousands of people stuck at home during the coronavirus restrictions are demanding car registration and insurance fee relief.
Nearly 10,000 people nationwide have signed a petition calling for state governments to slash future compulsory third party insurance and rego costs, a move which is now backed by both the NSW and Queensland oppositions.
Sydney road traffic has fallen by up to 55 per cent over the past four weeks as people stay home to stop the spread of infection.
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Consumer advocacy group One Big Switch launched the campaign, saying road maintenance, car accidents and insurance premiums will drop amid the shutdowns.
One Big Switch’s Joel Gibson said families who are doing it tough are frustrated that they still have to pay for services that are not being delivered by governments during the crisis.
“People are really in desperate need at the moment of every dollar they can get,” Mr Gibson said.
Car registration and insurance are among the top bills of concern to people who have joined the petition, behind mortgages, rent, energy and health insurance — which all have relief packages.
But the NSW Government is not currently considering car registration and CTP insurance waivers.
“We’ve already allocated billions of dollars in stimulus measures during these challenging times,” a spokesperson said on Sunday.
“This includes supporting jobs and business by providing up to $10,000 in small business grants, introducing measures for land tax exemptions to support rent reductions, and bolstering the health system to help fight against COVID-19.”
It comes as the Grattan Institute predicts up to 26 per cent of the workforce — or 3.4 million people across the nation — will lose their jobs due to the pandemic.
NSW Labor said a three-month discount on the next vehicle registration cycle would be easier than any cash rebate system.
