Cash incentive for `clunkers'

Friday, July 30, 2010

District drivers and families could be eligible for a $2000 Cleaner Car Rebate from the Federal Government.

The government wants to turn pre-1995 cars or `clunkers' into scrap metal in exchange for a rebate towards a new car.

The Cleaner Car Rebate will mean drivers and families who trade in a car manufactured before January 1, 1995, will be eligible for a $2000 rebate when they buy a new car.

The new vehicle must contain a Green Vehicle Guide greenhouse rating of six or higher _ which means it must emit less than 221g/km of carbon dioxide. A sticker containing a car's carbon emissions is displayed on all new vehicles sold in Australia.

Moama resident and student Josh Ogden, who owns a 1992 VP Holden Commodore, supports the idea.

``I think the idea to give people $2000 towards a newer, safer car is a good incentive for drivers to upgrade,'' Mr Ogden said.

``I think it would definitely make the roads safer and reduce the chance of drivers and passengers being hurt in accidents.

``I would definitely consider doing this in the future.''

Eligible new cars with a sufficient greenhouse rating include the Toyota Hybrid Camry ($36,990), the Holden Cruze ($22,990) and the Toyota Corolla ($23,740).

While the average age of cars in Australia fell from 10 years to 9.7 years between 2004 and 2009, it is still higher than in the US (9.4 years), the European Union (eight years) and Japan (6.2 years).

The government claims this measure would see close to 200,000 pre-1995 vehicles off the road by 2014, cut carbon dioxide emissions by one million tonnes and save motorists $344 million in fuel costs.