Businesses would be given tax breaks to buy electric cars under a Labor Party plan to curb pollution and massively increase the number of battery-powered vehicles on Australian roads.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will today unveil Labor's climate change policy — the plan it will use to reach its target of cutting emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, and ensure half of Australia's energy comes from renewable sources by 2050.
As expected, Labor is planning to expand the Turnbull Government's safeguard mechanism, forcing around 250 of Australia's biggest polluters to cap their emissions — while exempting the farming sector.
Mr Shorten strengthened his language against the use of carry-over credits on Sunday, describing it as "a particular accounting technique that only the Australian Liberal party and the Ukraine use".
Australia is on track to exceed its 2020 Kyoto target and the Morrison Government last month confirmed plans to count the excess credits towards the 2030 Paris commitment.
Mr Shorten will use today's announcement to paint the Coalition as "a hopelessly divided party" full of "climate sceptics".
Labor is promising to consult with industry on the emissions "baselines" or limits in the safeguard mechanism and allow businesses to buy international permits to help them meet their obligations.
Labor argues transport accounts for 20 per cent of Australia's emissions, which can be reduced while at the same time helping Australians save money at the petrol bowser.
The plan would dramatically increase the number of electric cars in Australia by giving businesses a tax deduction and setting a national target — that half of all new cars sold by 2030 will be electric.
Sensing the shifting sentiment towards action on climate change, the Prime Minister recently announced the Coalition would pour another $2 billion into the Climate Solutions Fund, its rebranded Emissions Reduction Fund.
Labor has labelled that policy a failure and has promised to scrap it, if it wins the election.