EV subsidies are middle class welfare

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I am philosophically opposed to using scarce taxpayer funds to subsidise private car purchases.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are heavily subsidised in Australia.

Every year, the federal government loses more than $500 million in tax income due to the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for BEVs, a figure that will rise as the number of BEVs on the road grows.

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About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.