I spoke about electric vehicles — not about telling anyone what to drive, but about giving Australians more choice, more competition and cheaper cars to run.

This debate gets made far more complicated than it needs to be. It’s not about telling Australians what they must drive. If you want a petrol car, you can. If you need a diesel ute for work, you can. But if you want a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle, you should be able to buy one at a competitive price, with proper charging, and without Australia being treated as an afterthought by the global car market.

I’ve seen this from the tools

Before I came into Parliament, I worked as an electrician. So when we talk about electric vehicles, batteries, charging and the grid, I don’t just hear a policy debate. I see switchboards, meters, cabling, apprentices and workshops. The wires don’t connect themselves — you need skilled workers and a real plan.

And this is a real change in the way households use energy. We’ve already lived it with rooftop solar. Families looked at their power bills, looked at their roofs, and made a practical decision. They didn’t wait for permission from Canberra — they did it because it stacked up. Today rooftop solar provides around 10 per cent of Australia’s electricity. That’s households taking control of their own energy costs.

Energy made here

Electric vehicles are part of that same change. More homes have solar. More are installing batteries. More families want to run on power generated here, rather than petrol bought at the bowser and priced through international markets.

And the advantage is simple. The sun over Joondalup doesn’t get delayed in the Strait of Hormuz. The wind off the WA coast doesn’t check the oil price before it turns up for work.

Up our way

In Joondalup, Clarkson, Butler, Banksia Grove and Yanchep, people drive long distances for work, school, sport and family. Fuel is a real weekly household expense, and people who drive further should have more options to save, not fewer.

That’s where the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard comes in. It’s not about forcing anyone into a particular car. It’s about making sure manufacturers bring their best, most efficient and most affordable vehicles to Australia, instead of leaving us at the back of the queue with whatever’s left. The Electric Car Discount has helped too, bringing cheaper-to-run vehicles within reach of more families.

Making the choice easier

We’re also building the infrastructure to make it work — chargers, kerbside charging, regional blackspots, dealerships and servicing. Australians are already making the choice. My job is to make that choice easier, more affordable and more available.