Should The Government Step In To Help Australians Quit Their Big Car Habit?


For several years Australians have chosen SUVs and utes over smaller sedans or hatchbacks when looking to buy a new car. Car sales data for 2023 has revealed all the top ten selling cars over the year were SUVs or light commercial vehicles. Passenger cars made up less than a fifth of all sales. But bigger cars come with some costs: they do more damage to roads, often pollute more, and can pose a bigger risk to safety, both for drivers and pedestrians. What are your thoughts LiveTribers? Should the government step in to help Australians quit their big car habit?

Posted by on 13 Feb 2024

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  • [0] [0]
    Brett

    Just need Government to stop inerfering in our lives, its personal choice. They should focus on doing what theu where elected to do and leave their social engineering alone.

    Posted by Brett on 25 Apr 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    Shyam

    Let the government focus on other priorities like housing, healthcare, education, energy transition, economy etc first. The user habits will slowly change with time. Manufacturers are also naming anything as an SUV these days which is similar in size to an hatchback

    Posted by Shyam on 28 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    Judith

    Not everyone's needs are the same, so the government should not step into the car market. There is usually a reason for purchasing a bigger car. We purchased a SUV in 2020, the main reason was that when our old car was written off new passenger cars did not have the ground clearance to safely manage our drive way.

    Posted by Judith on 28 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    lulubelle

    Unless they need a big car because they live in the country/ do off road trips or are a Tradie, then SUVs & 4WD should be banned for inner city living. If they choose to have these ridiculously large cars, then they should be compensating the environment for the extra pollution, the imposition on drivers around them and for their total disregard for any other driver around them.

    Posted by lulubelle on 28 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    vlee

    Some people need a larger vehicle because they need one big enough to manage their needs. Every situation is different.

    Posted by vlee on 28 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    Gandalf1

    We are just following the market influences, car yard, adverts etc, and in my opinion a lot of having a big vehicle, SUV etc., is a bit of an ego trip for the owners, and there is a saying about it, but don't think I could print it here LOL. The Government will tax whatever they feel that they an get away with, and the taxpayer just goes along with it...just like the recent hikes in alcohol taxes and prices ...we all complain, but we still but the product don't we ...

    Posted by Gandalf1 on 27 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [0]
    Claire

    Those who don't use or need bigger vehicles for work purposes should be taxed. Outside of work purposes many have these vehicles for an ego purpose. The Environment needs people to make better consumer & life choices, but many are too arrogant & ignorant to do that, so I say tax them or put Government policies in place.

    Posted by Claire on 22 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    Kittykato

    The government doesn't need to step in. People can make up their own minds!

    Posted by Kittykato on 22 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    Chin

    I agree. Obviously the rise in petrol price has not deterred people from owning petrol guzzlers. Blows my mind why people are so obsessed with SUVs.

    Posted by Chin on 27 Feb 2024
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  • [2] [0]
    Elizabeth

    The Government should stop interfering in everyone's lives especially when their only solution is to tax more, charge more or restrict freedoms.

    Posted by Elizabeth on 22 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    MS

    I don't see how these big vehicles are environmentally friendly? The government is considering taxing them.

    Posted by MS on 18 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    Joy

    I believe it's important for individuals to have the freedom to choose the type of vehicle that best suits their needs, while also being mindful of the environmental impact and considering ways to make more sustainable choices.

    Posted by Joy on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    Turbotom

    Less government intervention the better so if that is what people want then let it ride….

    Posted by Turbotom on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [2] [0]
    bling77

    We have 2 x 4WD utes and they are used every day as we are on a farm. We couldn’t have anything else

    Posted by bling77 on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    Guntis

    A bigger risk to safety, both for drivers and pedestrians ??? Bigger cars are more safe for drivers and the same or less risky for pedestrians. Everyone has the right to buy the car they need and the car they want. Bigger cars pay higher taxes. And - it is the responsibility of the government to improve the roads.

    Posted by Guntis on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    MS

    Not safer for those other people.

    Posted by MS on 18 Feb 2024
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  • [2] [0]
    jessica1

    To save our planet we need smaller cars.

    Posted by jessica1 on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    Judith

    Wouldn't it be better to improve public transport and reduce the need to purchase as many cars?

    Posted by Judith on 28 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [0]
    mscott

    Yeah, this makes sense, the government should tax these set of people separately.

    Posted by mscott on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    pjackson

    To me, this is a thing of choice, anyone can choose what type of car they want to drive as long as they can afford it. What the Australian government needs to do to reduce damages of some these cars is to build a better and quality roads, then problem solved, hahaha

    Posted by pjackson on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [2] [0]
    jeeves01

    Those big yankee utes are a joke. It's more about having a big black menacing looking vehicle than it is about practicality. Let people have them by all means but tax the living daylights out of them to bring back some sense to people. We don't need to be aspiring yanks and very few people need anything to tow 4.5tons it's just a 'look at me' thing anyway.

    Posted by jeeves01 on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    MS

    Maybe they feel threatened in smaller cars. Lol

    Posted by MS on 18 Feb 2024
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  • [2] [0]
    Aussie5

    I really agree with you jeeves01. These huge vehicles are a danger to everyone on the roads and taxing heavily is a wonderful idea.

    Posted by Aussie5 on 17 Feb 2024
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  • [5] [1]
    Paula

    EV's do far more harm to roads than Ute's and SUV's and frankly it's none of the Government's business what car I drive. EV's are very heavy and at least one multi story carpark has collapsed due to the weight of EV's. It's high time the Government got out of people's lives and allowed them to choose how to spend their own money and how they live lives.

    Posted by Paula on 14 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [2]
    sulter

    Yes we all need to be more environmental in our lives.

    Posted by sulter on 14 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    mact

    No!!!The market will sort it!

    Posted by mact on 14 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [2]
    MS

    Safety of other road users should be a priority too. I cannot understand those who defend the use of such cars in cities. They weren't really designed for these areas. What's the government doing? Nothing as usual!

    Posted by MS on 14 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    squeekums1

    a little hatch back aint gunna tow our boat An ev is not suited to 4x4 driving makes no sense to have 2 cars for 1 driver, so we have 1 car that does everything we need

    Posted by squeekums1 on 14 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    MS

    Yes, they are a nuisance. They don't really belong in the cities/surburbs. Ok if it they are in regional areas. They take up too much space and are rather unattractive looking. Those with more money than sense usually buy them.

    Posted by MS on 14 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    CILLY0

    I would prefer if the government stayed out of it and if the manufacturers made more smaller SUV's as these are so helpful for getting in and out cars as one ages. But the preference should be up to the buyer - perhaps the heavier vehicles should pay a higher registration fee so the government can keep the roadways repaired and this especially goes for the heavy, heavy electric cars.

    Posted by CILLY0 on 14 Feb 2024
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  • [4] [1]
    quorn

    NO! The Govt already steps in way too often, and this has resulted in increased prices for solar, insulation, and childcare to name a few. Not to mention company rorts.

    Posted by quorn on 14 Feb 2024
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  • [3] [1]
    squeekums1

    People should buy what they like and what suits their lifestyle

    Posted by squeekums1 on 13 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [0]
    Aussie5

    I agree squeekums1. People should buy what suits their lifestyle. You can't tell me that a person living in the city needs an SUV or a huge utility. Most only drive short distances and never go near a bush track. I live in a regional area and often see very elderly ladies driving huge utilities and they struggle to even get into them. I don't know how they can control them on the road and why they need this type of vehicle at their age. These vehicles are a danger to other road users.

    Posted by Aussie5 on 15 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [1]
    squeekums1

    we have a 4x4 in the city, why? its simple we own a boat, it needs towing, it fits hubbys fishing gear, it allows us comfort when we travel, goes off road AND is suitable for our day to day. We have 1 driver in the house so why have 2 cars? we have 1 that does everything we will need it to do The elderly should be retested yearly if they wish to continue driving anything - not just big cars

    Posted by squeekums1 on 16 Feb 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    MS

    What makes you think that the elderly are the cause of most crashes? Why single out one particular group of people?

    Posted by MS on 18 Feb 2024
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  • [4] [0]
    coaster

    These huge US tanks that seem to be the go for the younger generations between 25 - 40 are ridiculous. They are too big for many garages, too big for the parking spots so overlap, to big for roads etc. Why anyone would want one of these is beyond me. OK for a farm I guess but that's it. I think personally they should be banned from coming in.

    Posted by coaster on 13 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [0]
    MS

    Agree! Why do we have to copy America?

    Posted by MS on 15 Feb 2024
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  • [3] [1]
    ere

    No, we currently aren't living in a dictatorship like Russia and China. The Government interferes too much already. This sounds like another woke left-wing Greenie/loony idea to me.

    Posted by ere on 13 Feb 2024
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  • [1] [1]
    MS

    I think it's the left that are probably the ones who support these vehicles.

    Posted by MS on 14 Feb 2024
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