1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,239 Speaker 1: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: Bungelung Cargoton woman from Gadigol Country. The Daily os acknowledges 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: Gadigol people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torres 5 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: Strait Island and nations. We pay our respects to the 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: first peoples of these countries, both past and present. 7 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily Ours. Happy Friday. 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 2: We meet it Sam. 9 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. 10 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's the twenty first of April. I'm Nina standing 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 2: in Fizzara and I'm Sam still standing in for Sam. 12 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 2: The Federal government has released its first ever national strategy 13 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 2: for electric vehicles. 14 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 3: The future is apparently electric. 15 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 2: The plan is to make electric cars more affordable and accessible. 16 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 4: We're way behind the rest of the world again. 17 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 2: And increase the efficiency of cars. 18 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 4: More generally, We and Russia are the only developed countries 19 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 4: in the world which don't require car manufacturers to send 20 00:00:57,840 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 4: us fuel efficient vehicles. 21 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 2: So we're going to tell you what you need to know 22 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 2: in the deep dive. The first the headlines. 23 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 3: A triple C, Australia's consumer watchdog has opposed Quantus's proposed 24 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 3: takeover of Australia's leading fly and fly out charter operator, 25 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 3: saying it would substantially lessen competition in the aviation market 26 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 3: and result in rising affairs and reduce service quality. Quantas 27 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 3: struck a deal with Alliance Aviation last year to acquire 28 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 3: the remaining shares it did not already own in the company. 29 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 3: Since then, Quantus said on Thursday it had requested a 30 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 3: meeting with the a Triple C to seek further information 31 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 3: about their decision. 32 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 2: The Reserve Bank of Australia will face changes to its 33 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 2: operations following the release of a major review. It made 34 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: fifty one recommendations, including holding a press conference after each 35 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 2: meeting about the cash rate. It was the first external 36 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: review of Australia's central bank in four decades. All the 37 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: recommendations have been agreed to in principle by the government. 38 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 3: The new South Wales government will investigate last month's killing 39 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 3: of millions of fish in the rural town of Menindi. 40 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 3: The investigation will be undertaken by the state's Environmental Protection 41 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 3: Authority and assess the role of individuals, companies and governments 42 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,680 Speaker 3: in the killings before handing down its findings it's been 43 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 3: treated as a pollution incident, with current testing already ruling 44 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,639 Speaker 3: out the use of pesticides. 45 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 2: And your Friday good news. A six year old from 46 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 2: the UK has raised over fifty three thousand dollars while 47 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 2: hiking the equivalent of Mount Everest to support terminally ill children. 48 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 2: Oscar Burrow reached his target this week after reaching the 49 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: top of a Scottish mountain range. The money will be 50 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 2: used to send twenty nine families from the hospice on 51 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 2: a week long holiday. The federal government released its first 52 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 2: ever national strategy for electric vehicles this week. It's all 53 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: part of the plan to move Australia towards more renewable energy. 54 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 3: I'm sure we're going to be too talking about how 55 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 3: damn expensive they are and some of the barriers that 56 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 3: get in the way, but to put it into a 57 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 3: broader picture, this is all part of the government's broader 58 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 3: climate targets. Talk to me about how this new plan 59 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 3: fits in. 60 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: Australia's target, which has been signed into law, is to 61 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 2: reach net zero carbon emissions by twenty to fifty According 62 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 2: to the government, transport made up nineteen percent of Australia's 63 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 2: emissions in twenty twenty two, and that puts the sector 64 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,239 Speaker 2: on track to be the nation's largest emitter by twenty thirty. 65 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 2: And so that's why when they're talking about getting to 66 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: net zero emissions, transport is high up on their agenda. 67 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: But Australia's behind the rest of the world, especially with 68 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: electric vehicles. I'm going to start calling them evs, otherwise 69 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 2: I'm going to be here forever. But EV's accounted for 70 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 2: four percent of car sales in Australia last year, and 71 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 2: to put that into a global context, in the UK, 72 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 2: ev is accounted for fifteen percent of sales and in 73 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 2: the EU they accounted for seventeen percent of sales. 74 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 3: So how do you explain the fact that the Australia 75 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 3: has fewer ev owners striving around on the streets. 76 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 2: So there's two reasons that have been discussed this week 77 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: in the context of this new strategy. One is price 78 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 2: and the other is functionality. So the government acknowledges that 79 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: EV's are currently more expensive than petrol cars. I was 80 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: having a bit of a Google today and a brand 81 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 2: new EV's definitely out of my budget. Even the more 82 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 2: modest brands probably still a little bit ambitious for me. 83 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 3: At this point, and I think that's how most young 84 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 3: people feel. It's not an entry level car. 85 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 2: I have to say, I was surprised there were more 86 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 2: secondhand EV's available than I expected. 87 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 3: And we know that's a growing segment of the market, 88 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 3: but it's not fully ready for everyone to dive into today. 89 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 2: Yes, it still feels a bit ambitious. To come back 90 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 2: to my other point, another concern people have about jumping 91 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 2: over to electric vehicles is functionality, and Chris Bowen, who's 92 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 2: the federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, was also 93 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 2: speaking about these concerns that people have this week. 94 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 4: And I do understand a lot of Australians would look 95 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 4: at buying an EV but think, you know, I'd like 96 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,040 Speaker 4: to go for a long drive to the coast. Will 97 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 4: there be enough charging? Or I live in the in 98 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 4: the bush? Will there be an charging? At the moment 99 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:02,919 Speaker 4: there isn't, but we are fixing that. 100 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: So that was the minister speaking on Sunrise. 101 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 3: So it's clearly a couple of big issues. What's the 102 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 3: government proposing to fix them? 103 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 2: Well, to stick to that charging issue for a second, 104 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 2: the government strategy which they released this week includes some 105 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 2: initiatives they've already announced and one of those is to 106 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,239 Speaker 2: roll out charges at an average interval of one hundred 107 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 2: and fifty k's on major highways across the country, so 108 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 2: when you're on your big road trip, you're never more 109 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 2: than one hundred and fifty k's from the next charger. 110 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 2: But another big part of this strategy is the Fuel 111 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 2: Efficiency Scheme. It's basically a set of rules for manufacturers 112 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 2: about how much carbon dioxide vehicles that are sold in 113 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 2: Australia are allowed to produce. 114 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 4: We and Russia are the only developed countries in the 115 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 4: world which don't require car manufacturers to send us fuel 116 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 4: efficient vehicles, so they don't send them to this It's 117 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 4: pretty simple. 118 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 2: So what Chris Bowen, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, 119 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 2: is saying is that because we don't put that legal 120 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 2: requirement on the cars that we import to have that 121 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 2: level of efficiency, those manufacturers are prioritizing sending all of 122 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 2: the most efficient cars to other countries that do have 123 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 2: that legislation in place. By introducing laws here, the hope 124 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 2: he's expressing is that it would incentivize manufacturers to send 125 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 2: those more efficient vehicles here, increasing supply and hopefully pushing 126 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: down some of those costs that you know, we're finding 127 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 2: a little bit daunting. 128 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 3: Which is a pretty lofty aim. So how long do 129 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 3: you think it is before you and I are driving 130 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 3: an electric vehicle? 131 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 2: Well, there wasn't a date as such in this federal 132 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 2: strategy that was released this week, though federal government has 133 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 2: then said we will all be driving you know, these 134 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: zero missions cars by a certain date. But some of 135 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 2: the states and territories have those plans in place. So 136 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 2: for Queensland they plan to have fifty percent of new 137 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 2: passenger vehicle sales to be zero emissions by twenty thirty 138 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 2: and then one hundred percent by twenty thirty six. Both 139 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 2: New South Wales and Victoria are targeting fifty percent new 140 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,040 Speaker 2: cars to be evs by twenty thirty one. WA has 141 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 2: a twenty five percent target by twenty twenty five, and 142 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: the Act has a goal of eighty to ninety percent 143 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 2: by twenty thirty and plans to cease registration of non 144 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 2: zero emissions vehicles by twenty thirty five. 145 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 3: Let me ask you a big question that I think 146 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 3: about a lot. Are electric vehicles actually better for the environment. 147 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 2: Well, it did do a bit of research today and 148 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 2: what it seems to come down to is what energy 149 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 2: source you're using to actually charge your car. So if 150 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 2: you have two cars on the road, one is an 151 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 2: EV and one is your standard petro car. Of course 152 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: the EV car is much more environmentally friendly as it's 153 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 2: driving along the road. But then when you get home 154 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: in your EV and you plug it into the wall, 155 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 2: the overall emissions of that car is highly determined by 156 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 2: where the energy is that you are then plugging into 157 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 2: your car. So if you are in a state that 158 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 2: is fueling its energy grid by mostly coal power, then 159 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 2: they are going to be certain emissions associated with that. 160 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 2: In saying that, there is some Australian research which shows 161 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: that electric vehicles still generate less emissions than a normal 162 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 2: car would when charged on the average Australian electricity grid. 163 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 2: But if you're living in Tasmania, for example, which has 164 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 2: a much higher percentage of renewable energy coming into their grid, 165 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 2: then overall you're going to have a much lower footprint 166 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 2: than you would otherwise. But the other thing to consider, 167 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 2: which I think is really interesting, is that there are 168 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 2: some concerns about some of the materials that are used 169 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 2: to actually manufacture these cars. For example, cobalt, which is 170 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 2: one of the materials used to make the lithium iron 171 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 2: sell that power most evs, that has been associated with 172 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 2: some really problematic both humanitarian and environmental concerns in the 173 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 2: way that they mind that material. So I think this 174 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 2: is something we're still learning a lot about. It's something 175 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 2: I'm still learning a lot about, and I think we 176 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 2: could even do a whole deep dive on in the 177 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 2: future about actually what goes into making evs. But I 178 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 2: do think as we move towards that goal of net 179 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 2: zero emissions, it will be important to continue to have 180 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 2: these conversations about how sustainable these alternatives actually are. 181 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 3: Thank you for joining us on the Daily OS this week. 182 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 3: It's been fantastic to talk through some big issues with you. 183 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 3: We'll be back again on Monday, but in the meantime, 184 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 3: if you feel like sending this one to a friend, 185 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,199 Speaker 3: perhaps one that's in the market to buy a new 186 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 3: EV we'd love you to send it over. It helps 187 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 3: us grow and get the word out there. Have a 188 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 3: wonderful weekend.