WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1991
MR BARNES SAID THE RETAIL PRICE FOR UNLEADED PETROL WOULD NEED TO BE LESS THAN THAT FOR LEADED PETROL IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE USE OF UNLEADED PETROL WHEREVER POSSIBLE AND TO REMOVE ANY INCENTIVE TO MISFUEL NEW VEHICLES.
HE SAID CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE, AS INCLUDED IN A CLAUSE IN THE BILL, WOULD PROVIDE A UNIFIED CLASSIFICATION OF PETROL IN THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE AND THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE. THIS WOULD LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR DETERMINING DIFFERENT DUTIES FOR THE TWO GRADES OF PETROL.
MR BARNES EXPECTED THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF UNLEADED PETROL WOULD NOT CAUSE UNDUE INCONVENIENCE TO CAR OWNERS, BECAUSE 70 PER CENT OF EXISTING PETROL VEHICLES NEED NO MODIFICATION ΤΟ USE UNLEADED PETROL WHILE 14 PER CENT OF VEHICLES WOULD BE ABLE TO USE UNLEADED PETROL MOST OF THE TIME (SAY, THREE TANKFULS OUT OF FOUR) WITHOUT ILL EFFECTS.
ANOTHER 10 PER CENT COULD SWITCH TO UNLEADED PETROL WITH A MINOR ENGINE ADJUSTMENT COSTING $200 - $300 ONLY. HE SAID A LIMITED SUPPLY OF 97 OCTANE LEADED PETROL WOULD CONTINUE TO BE REQUIRED AS THERE WOULD BE A SMALL NUMBER OF EXISTING VEHICLES, ABOUT SIX PER CENT OF THE TOTAL VEHICLE POPULATION, WHICH WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO USB UNLEADED PETROL FOR TECHNICAL REASONS.
HE ADDED THAT THE PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE UNLEADED PETROL HAD BEEN DISCUSSED WITH AND WAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE OIL INDUSTRY.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
BILL TO STRENGTHEN SMOKE CONTROL
* *
PROPOSALS IN THE ROAD TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1990 WILL STRENGTHEN THE CURRENT SMOKE CONTROL PROGRAMME BY ALLOWING MORE SMOKY VEHICLES TO BE TESTED.
SUCH SCHEME IS LIKELY TO ENLIST THE SUPPORT OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO SHOW GROWING CONCERN OVER THE PROBLEM OF POLLUTING EMISSIONS FROM VEHICLES.
THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, THE HON GRAHAM BARNES, MADE THESE REMARKS WHEN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.
MR BARNES POINTED OUT THE BILL EFFECTED THE SECOND PART STRATEGY IN THE WHITE PAPER ON POLLUTION FOR TACKLING THE BMISSION PROBLEM, AND WAS CLOSELY LINKED TO THE AIR POLLUTION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1990 WHICH WAS ALSO MOVED IN THE LEGISLATIVE TODAY.
OF THE VEHICLE
CONTROL
COUNCIL
/HE SAID: