NSW electric car subsidy ‘favours the rich’ according to postcode data: Mark Latham

Postcode data shows a green scheme that subsidises people buying electric cars has been overwhelmingly taken up by wealthy Sydney suburbs.

A green scheme to subsidise NSW citizens buying electric cars has overwhelmingly been taken up by wealthy North Shore suburbs new postcode figures show – leading to charges that it is a “reverse Robin Hood” program.

In the first five months of the benefits just 1368 rebates worth $3000 each were paid out, meaning the scheme would take more than seven years to pay out the available 25,000 rebates.

And just 1911 applications for stamp duty exemptions for new electric vehicles were paid out.

An electric vehicle at Blacksmith’s Workshop at Carriageworks. Picture: Monique Harmer

Treasurer and Environment Minister Matt Kean promised the scheme would “ensure at least 50 per cent of new cars sales are EVs by 2030”.

But One Nation MP Mark Latham said with 300,000 new vehicles purchased every year in NSW it meant the payouts were “having very little impact on car purchasing decisions”.

He said there was little likelihood the government would meet its target of at least 150,000 EV sales per year at the rate it was going after almost six months.

One Nation MP Mark Latham questions the subsidy for EV cars benefiting rich households at the expense of the poor. Picture: Richard Dobson

Treasurer and Environment Minister Matt Kean. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

EV sales per year at the rate it was going after almost six months.

“At the moment they are on a trajectory of only getting around 4000 a year for EVs … yet they said they are aiming for 150,000 by 2030 – they are 146,000 cars short,” he said.

He also accused the government of favouring the rich – “North Shore residents are paying for the rest of NSW” - after obtaining figures on the take-up rate by postcode.

“It has an embarrassingly low-take up rate and in the money allocated, it’s a clear subsidy for the wealthy – people who already have enough money to buy a $78,000 new car without support from taxpayers in the Hunter Valley and Western Sydney,” he said.

“It’s reverse Robin Hood.

“Many country and regional centres do not have a single recipient of either subsidy, such as Bathurst, Moree and Grafton.

A Tesla electric vehicle about to be charged. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP

“Parts of Western Sydney have also missed out entirely, including Rooty Hill and Macquarie Fields. The lowest income parts of the Hunter Valley, such as Muswellbrook and Kurri Kurri, have also drawn a blank. Not a single subsidy.”

The 12 postcode areas that have 20 or more recipients of the stamp duty exemption were high-income areas: Rouse Hill/Kellyville (42), St Leonards (36), Norwest (33), Castle Hill (31), Lane Cove (30), East Gosford (26), Cherrybrook (25), Turramurra (24), Michelago (24), Lindfield (22), Newington (20) and Box Hill (20).

The figures also show 10 postcode areas have 15 or more recipients of the $3000 rebate: Rouse Hill/Kellyville (28), Lane Cove (23), East Gosford (21), Norwest (20), St Leonards (19), Castle Hill (19), Cherrybrook (17), North Bondi (15), Lindfield (15) and Box Hill (15).

Under the two handouts announced last year, every electric vehicle under $78,000 was made exempt from stamp duty – a concession worth up to $2540.

Owners would also receive a $3000 rebate up to a value of $68,750 per car.

Mr Kean has been approached for a comment.

Originally published as NSW electric car subsidy ‘favours the rich’ according to postcode data: Mark Latham