11. Question No. 11—TransportSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 11—Transport11. SIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of Transport: What is the total amount of subsidies the Government has paid out to Tesla owners through the Clean Car Discount scheme and how many Teslas have been purchased through the scheme?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): The Government's Clean Car Discount scheme has been an electrifying success and I thank the member for his ongoing interest and the spotlight he shines on it. Since the discount came into effect last year 111000 low-emission vehicles have been registered in New Zealand—over 82000 of these in 2022 alone. Over 88000 of these purchases have been supported by the discount. Across the programme we've supported Kiwis to purchase around 74000 Daihatsus Fords Hondas Hyundais Mazdas Mitsubishis Nissans Subarus Suzukis Toyotas and Kias making up about 84 percent of total vehicles paying out over $200 million—around 71 percent of total rebates on these vehicles. That's over 35000 more than the last time the member asked me this question in October. In comparison the discount has supported the purchase of about 6157 Teslas less than 7 percent of total vehicles by paying about $52 million or 19 percent of rebates. Stats New Zealand today announced that imports of fully electric vehicles more than doubled during the 12 months to March 2023 a feat that has only been possible due to the Clean Car Discount.Simeon Brown: Point of order. My primary question was in relation to how much has been paid out to Tesla owners through the Clean Car Discount scheme. The number he gave me was from 1 April last year. The Clean Car Discount scheme came into effect on 1 July 2021.Hon Mark Mitchell: Being sneaky.SPEAKER: We don't need a commentary. I'm listening really carefully to the point of order.Simeon Brown: And in fact I asked the exact same question last year and he did give me the number on 27 October last year which was for the entire period. And if you look at the New Zealand Transport Agency website it talks about the Clean Car Discount scheme starting on 1 July 2021.Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Speaking to the point order Mr Speaker if you'd like me to answer on the point of order the member is referring to two different time periods. The full Clean Car Discount scheme which was brought into effect via legislation in this House came into effect from 1 April 2022 and those are the figures to which I refer. The figures that the member is referring to was a partial start of the scheme that occurred from 1 July 2021 through which discounts only applied to fully electric vehicles but the full Clean Car Discount scheme was not in effect at that time.SPEAKER: My ruling for this is that I will listen carefully. You've got three supplementaries. If at the end of it I don't think that has been answered I will give you an extra supplementary provided that your supplementaries in the meantime are in order.Simeon Brown: How many Teslas have been subsidised under the Clean Car Discount schemes and Clean Car Discounts that this Government has been offering since 1 July 2021 and how much is that represented in subsidies for people buying Teslas?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I'll just repeat the information that I gave in the previous point of order and I will address the member's question. The Clean Car Discount scheme fully came into effect from 1 April 2022. That is a scheme that was brought into effect via legislation that was passed through this House. The Government did apply discounts to zero emissions vehicles only from 1 July 2022. That did include Teslas during that period. If the member is asking specifically about the total amount of discounts provided since that period then the number is $83 million applying to 9730 of those vehicles.Simeon Brown: Does he think spending $83 million subsidising wealthy people to purchase Teslas represents good value for money during a cost of living crisis?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I do believe that it is good value for money for the Government to invest in initiatives that reduce our carbon emissions during a climate emergency. The Clean Car Discount scheme has turned New Zealand from one of the world's worst markets for importing the dirtiest vehicles in the world to one of the best markets for importing clean vehicles into our country. That has meant that the average emissions of vehicles coming into New Zealand have decreased by 14 percent over that period that over 100000 New Zealanders have gotten into cleaner vehicles and that New Zealanders right across the income ranges have gained access to cleaner vehicles which cost less to run. There was once a time in the National Party when members on that side actually supported action on climate. Unfortunately it's not a rare misstep that that member is opposed to it; it has now become the cultural norm in the National Party—a party of modern-day climate denialism.SPEAKER: I'll give the member an—order! I will give that extra question.Simeon Brown: Thank you Mr Speaker. So can the Minister confirm that as part of the changes made today he is increasing the taxes on tradies and farmers purchasing utes so they can do their jobs so that he can then hand out millions of dollars to people purchasing expensive Teslas; and does he agree that this is just another kick in the guts for our hard-working farmers and tradies?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I recognise that the National Party and the member opposite wish to turn every policy that is about addressing climate change into a tacky little culture war but our Government is actually focused on practical measures that reduce emissions across our transport sector. Of course what the member is trying to do here is present the Clean Car Discount as a policy that only applies to those purchasing a vehicle like a Tesla and that is completely wrong. For example the biggest make of vehicles that has attracted both the largest number of discounts and the highest total value of discounts have in fact been Toyotas. The two most commonly sold vehicles that have attracted a discount under the Clean Car Discount have been Toyota models that sell for under $20000. Ours is a Government which is getting on with reducing transport sector emissions. We will keep doing that while the National Party continues to wallow in their lazy climate change denialism.Simeon Brown: Who is creating the culture war the National Party who says that Tesla owners shouldn't be subsidised for purchasing expensive vehicles or the Deputy Prime Minister who said this morning on the AM Show There's also a number of New Zealanders … who are driving around with utes in Auckland where they're not necessarily needed for practical reasons" and if so what exactly makes a ute necessary for practical reasons?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: In addressing the first part of the member's question I would most certainly say it is the National Party which effectively takes one of the most significant issues of our time which is the urgent need to take action on climate which criticises every single initiative which reduces emissions and offers absolutely nothing in return. In 2023 when communities up and down our country have been devastated by climate change - driven extreme weather events for the main Opposition party of this country to oppose any and all climate action for cheap political gain is a disgrace and an embarrassment to them and certainly an embarrassment to some members on their backbenches who once led a more progressive climate change policy from that party."