Car manufacturers influence proposed NSW car registration changes?

NSW already has the most expensive car registration in the country, with no change from $1,000 to register the typical car – and that is just the Greenslip, Registration fees and other Government taxes.

NSW also has a particularly useless conditional registration scheme, whereby collector cars can go on ‘club’ plates and be used only for club events.   Great if you are able to make a lot of club events, but not so great if you have to work a lot, or have a young family and want to drive your car when you can.

Now they are at it again with a set of changes that sound like the work of some car manufacturer or dealer lobby group.  Essentially instead of being by weight, car registration will be calculated from a formula based on safety rating, emissions, and weight, with the final ratios to be determined.   It is rather ironic that finally after the Australian car industry has died, they are trying to force us all to buy new cars.

This scheme is supposed to start with new cars, then gradually move to older cars as well.   Given how poor the NSW club rego scheme is, those of us who have to pay through the nose to drive a few paltry kms per year are just going to have to pay more, as we are forced to buy new Hyundai’s.

Not only that, but they completely fail to take into account how much pollution is created to create a new car – especially in our globalised world where all the parts are shipped around the world, the high plastics content, and the batteries now used in Hybrids.   The option that is actually good for the environment is to use what we have – unless it is being driven for commercial purposes like a taxi, delivery van etc.

Good to see lobby group led policy is alive and well in NSW.   For those who want to read more.