Older car imports facing ban

The Greens want to ban the importing of vehicles older than seven years unless they meet strict emission standards. File picture / Paul Estcourt

An age limit on imported Japanese used vehicles is being considered by the Government, to cut pollution and reduce fuel consumption.

The Beehive confirmed yesterday that the Transport Ministry had been asked to study improving the emissions and fuel efficiency of used imports, including looking at the option of an age limit.

Transport Minister Pete Hodgson said he expected an interim report this year.

He said the possible social cost of such a policy would be kept clearly in mind. Thousands of New Zealanders drive imported Japanese vehicles.

Finance Minister Michael Cullen said in an interview with the Herald that an age limit was something that needed consideration as part of a "suite of responses" to rising energy prices and emissions. He did not have an age limit in mind.

"People are going to have to think more about the efficiency of the vehicles that they use," he said. "Do we have to think about how old we allow used imports to be, because the younger they are generally speaking the more efficient they are?"

The Greens have a policy of prohibiting the importing of vehicles older than seven years unless they meet strict emission standards.

Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said: "I think it's one of a number of measures that the Greens have been pushing for a while that the Labour Government's not unsympathetic to, and that you would see action on if you had a Labour-Green Government."

Automobile Association public affairs director George Fairbairn said limiting the age of imported vehicles would disadvantage those people least able to afford it.

"If you then limit the vehicle availability, that could immediately push up the price of used vehicles in the market and [people on low incomes] would be the ones most affected."

The Government recently announced plans for stricter warrant of fitness standards on vehicle emissions by the end of next year. Details are yet to be decided.

Taken together, an age limit and the warrant tests would be expected to reduce the age of the country's vehicles - average age 12 years in 2003.

Mr Hodgson said that while "an age limit is a fairly blunt thing to do", it may be the cheapest thing to do.

The chief executive of the Independent Motor Vehicle Dealers' Association, David Vinsen, said the organisation would be against an age limit unless there was an agreement on no more regulation.

"If people are genuinely concerned about fuel consumption, emissions and the age of vehicles on our roads they will buy newer things. They don't need nanny state to tell them what to buy."

The industry already faced a de facto age limit because of frontal impact standards, because generally only vehicles manufactured in 1996 and after complied. But the rule does not cover 4WDs and people movers.

About 160,000 imported used vehicles come into New Zealand every year, a third of which were built in 1996.

Motor Industry Association chief executive Perry Kerr said the association, which represents the new vehicle industry, had been pushing for years for Governments to do something about upgrading the fleet. It wanted a seven-year rolling age limit on used imports.