The Government is starting to reassess is stance on allowing wide-scale second hand car imports into Australia.
This change in the Government’s thinking was outlined in an address to the 2014 National Road Safety Forum, by the assistant minister for infrastructure and regional development, Jaime Briggs.
Last month, Briggs released an ‘Options Discussion Paper’ regarding the review of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 (MVSA). The Act – which prescribes the regulations vehicles must satisfy (Australian Design Rules) – and therefore effectively which cars can be sold locally is the main barrier to uncontrolled imports of new and used vehicles.
Briggs notes that the while the proposal by the Productivity Commission to reduce restrictions on second-hand imports would make cars cheaper for consumers, it is worth noting that the evidence from New Zealand indicates that it would likely increase the age of the fleet on Australian roads and therefore diminish safety.
In the clearest indication yet that the government will not allow used car imports, Briggs comments: “Clearly one of the most important factors in better safety outcomes on our roads is the age of the fleet. In this respect and given the risk of a decline in safety outcomes, we are not inclined to open the Australian market to second hand imports.”
However, a move to let private new car imports is one the Government is seriously considering, as Briggs notes: “Given the move to an international regulatory framework, we are interested in considering options in relation to personal imports of new cars.
“Our rationale for considering this measure is to ensure Australian consumers have access to the lowest cost, safest and youngest fleet possible.”
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