Andrew McKellar, Chief Executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries
The car industry welcomes any move to support motorists who want to upgrade to safer and more fuel efficient vehicles. One in five vehicles on Australian roads is more than 15 years old with many of those not meeting the environmental and safety standards we now expect. A key part of any strategy to reduce carbon emissions from road transport must address the impact older cars have on the environment. The industry will obviously need to work through the finer detail of this proposal before it can be implemented.

Don Henry, Executive Director of Australian Conservation Foundation
The $2000 rebate for trading in a pre-1995 car and buying a brand new, efficient vehicle is a positive move, but we would like to see a scheme that encourages people to buy very efficient vehicles, whether they are new or second-hand. The news that this scheme will be funded by taking money away from the Solar and CCS Flagship programs and Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme is extremely disappointing. It should be funded by reducing the Fuel Tax Credits scheme, which subsidises diesel fuel for mining companies, and which costs Australian taxpayers around $4.9 billion a year, or $606 per household per year.