'I know my policy': Scott Morrison in fiery exchange with Sunrise host Natalie Barr as the pair clash over the Coalition's electric car target
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison has snapped at Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr
- She pointed out how top public servants were explaining Coalition car policy
- Seven personality pointed out how both major parties had same 2030 target
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has snapped at Sunrise host Natalie Barr during a heated grilling about electric cars.
His Seven Network interview became a car crash when it was pointed out the Coalition, like Labor, also had a plan for half of Australia's vehicle fleet to be electric by 2030.
Mr Morrison, who last week accused Opposition Leader Bill Shorten of being a threat to utes and weekends, responded by snapping at Ms Barr.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) has snapped at Sunrise host Natalie Barr (left) during a heated grilling about electric cars
'No it's not. Our target was 16 per cent,' he said.
Ms Barr persisted, pointing out how Department of Environment officials at a Budget estimates hearing last week had explained the government wanted electric vehicles to make up 25 to 50 per cent of new car sales in 11 years' time.
'I know what my policy is, Nat,' the Prime Minister snapped.
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'That's the problem with Bill Shorten. He doesn't know what his policy is.'
Asked if the public servants were wrong last week, Mr Morrison said: 'No, it is.'
The Prime Minister said his policy was about increasing electric car take-up to a level between '16 to 50 per cent'.
Mr Morrison (pictured after calling an election on Thursday) last week accused Labor leader Bill Shorten of being a threat to weekends and utes with his electric vehicle policy
Ms Barr refuted his assertion, as she did a live cross to Penrith, in Sydney's west in the marginal seat of Lindsay, which Labor holds by a slender 1.1 per cent margin.
'I think it was 25 to 50. Should we check that?'
Last week, Mr Morrison accused Mr Shorten of 'declaring war on the weekend', with the Liberal Party running negative social media advertisements claiming Labor's policy would fail even a top-selling small car like the Hyundai i30 hatch.
The Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi Triton utes are Australia's top-three selling vehicles, with electric cars making up just 0.2 per cent of the local car market.
Labor leader Bill Shorten (pictured in Canberra) has a plan for electric cars to make up 50 per cent of Australia's vehicle fleet by 2030
