Car dealers' opposition to emission rules attacked

Two public health organisations and the Sustainable Energy Forum have attacked car dealers for opposing the Government's move to lower exhaust emissions.

Transport ministers on Tuesday announced new rules for imported used cars from January next year.

Only cars made in 1998 or after that will pass the test, and in 2009 only cars made in 2000 or after that will pass.

The Independent Motor Vehicle Dealers' Association strongly opposes the new measures, and says the emission rules should apply to the existing fleet and not just imports after next January.

The association argues that used cars will cost more and people will hold on to their old ones for longer, meaning pollution will actually increase.

But the Public Health Association, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation and the Sustainable Energy Forum issued a joint statement yesterday saying they condemned the dealers' campaign.

"New Zealand has the second highest incidence of asthma in the world," said Asthma and Respiratory Foundation executive director Jane Patterson.

"Studies show a link between asthma and vehicle emissions, so anything that can be done to lower those emissions will be welcome by the one in six New Zealanders who have asthma."

Public Health Association director Gay Keating said contamination of the air could cause hospitalisation and premature death.

"Vehicle emissions are thought to be responsible for around 500 premature deaths a year and the health costs to this country of vehicle emissions are about $442 million a year," Dr Keating said.

The convenor of the Sustainable Energy Forum, Tim Jones, said it was imperative the Government "gets serious" about vehicle emissions.

"Between 1990 and 2005, greenhouse gas emissions from domestic transport in New Zealand increased by 62 per cent," he said.

"Placing a minimum emissions standard on imported cars is urgently needed to help turn around our appalling greenhouse gas emissions record."