Canberra Is Banning The Sale Of All Petrol And Diesel Cars From 2035 To Help The Environment

Minister for Emissions Reduction Shane Rattenbury said the new regulations would apply to new cars, motorcycles and small trucks.

“Our intent is that from 2035, you will not be able to put new [cars] on the road," he said.

"But the government does not intend to take your car off the road if you're driving around in an all-petrol vehicle at the start of the year."

Rattenbury said that although the details hadn’t been finalised, the ACT government wants to notify drivers of the plan to combat climate change to allow for a smooth ‘transition’ between conventional cars to electric.

"We're trying to signal where we are going very early so that people have a clear understanding of where the future lies," Rattenbury said.

He added: "We're about setting an early message now, being clear about where things are going and giving people time to organise the transition,” he said.

Rattenbury continued: "The exact legal mechanism is yet to be determined, we'll need to work closely with the federal government and with other states and territories, but our view is that by 2035 you should not be able to put a new petrol vehicle on the road."

While Canberra is the first to implement this plan, other states are expected to follow.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus filed an intervention to the court last week to support two motorists trying to overturn the Victorian EV road user charge.

A spokesperson for the Attorney-General told the outlet: “The Commonwealth Government would like to work with Victoria, and with the other states and territories, on policy relating to electric vehicles.

"We think that is best done through governments working cooperatively.”