Joint media release: Fuel Quality Standards Act contributes to better health and environment outcomes

An independent review has found that the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 has led to a significant reduction in the mass of pollutants and emissions arising from the use of regulated fuel.

The Australian Government will retain and amend the Act to ensure Australians continue to receive its important environmental and health benefits.

We will review the legislative instruments made under the Act, including individual fuel standards.

The Government has a detailed plan to meet our climate change targets. Australia’s vehicles account for around 17 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The outcomes of this review will input into a detailed plan to reduce vehicle emissions and help consumers lower costs of running their vehicles.

Reviewing the fuel standards will complement and help inform the work of the Vehicle Emissions Ministerial Forum.

The ministerial forum was established in October 2015 to reduce harmful emissions on Australian roads and in our cities from motor vehicles.

Throughout the consultations, vehicle manufacturers have advised that issues relating to vehicle efficiency, Euro 6 and fuel quality should be considered together as part of a whole-of-government approach to addressing emissions.

The inter-departmental working group which supports the ministerial forum will report this year on options for implementation of Euro 6, fuel standards, fuel efficiency measures (CO2) for light vehicles, as well as emission testing arrangements.

The working group will then report in the first half of 2017 on a draft implementation plan for new measures – aligning with the Government’s commitment to announce new measures to deliver Australia’s 2030 climate change targets.