Used car importers are taking legal action in a bid to
prevent the Government from tightening vehicle emission
standards, which they claim will push up prices.
Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association chief executive
David Vinsen said his organisation had lodged an application
with the High Court at Wellington seeking a judicial review
into actions of Transport Minister Steven Joyce.
It was seeking a review into his refusal to review vehicle
emissions standards, which he said would progress in January
to the point of severely limiting the choice of used cars.
The standards would effectively prevent the importation of
cars manufacturer before 2005, compared with an existing
restriction against pre-2002 models. Mr Vinsen said that
would boost prices by $2000 to $4000.
A spokeswoman for Mr Joyce said the minister was unable to
comment on the issue, now that it was before the courts.
But a report prepared for him in July by the Ministry of
Transport said the vehicle emissions rule did not in itself
create a price barrier to consumers wishing to buy a vehicle
between $10,000 and $14,000.
Although acknowledging that car buyers may have to spend more
to buy a newer imported vehicle meeting the new standards, it
said they would have alternative purchasing options if they
were constrained to the $10,000 to $14,000 bracket.
That may require importers to provide a larger range of
smaller cars, until vehicles such as people movers became
more affordable from Japan as they got older.
- Mathew Dearnaley of The New Zealand Herald
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