We support the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Australia, but we have concerns about who will pay for it. Our submission to the Australian Energy Market Commission argues that the energy transition must be fair and affordable for all Australians, not just those who can afford an electric vehicle.
Nearly one in four older Australians is living in poverty, energy bills are already stretching household budgets, and older renters in particular have no realistic path to EV ownership.
We are calling on the AEMC to ensure that Commonwealth grant funding is not used to fund the infrastructure and then also charged back to electricity consumers through their power bills, and that any rule change includes strong consumer protections for those least able to pay.