Volkswagen has admitted to installing engine software in some diesel cars that reduce toxic emissions when being tested, cutting emission readings of toxic fumes by up to 40 times.
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Next up, Australia’s competition watchdog announced on Friday it would seek to find whether the German carmaker purposely told consumers in the country the cars polluted less than in reality. “The ACCC is making enquiries to determine if consumers might have been exposed to misleading claims”, commented a representative for Reuters. “The ACCC is also considering the rights of consumers under the Australian consumer law”. And this could lead to legal action.
Maurice Blackburn’s class actions principal Damian Scattini said the firm was investigating a consumer law action against Volkswagen.
The emission control standards of Australia is not as good as that of USA and Europe.
He said if cars in Australia had been affected, then buyers would not have got what they paid for. There are no regulations around the emissions of carbon dioxide, despite advice from the Climate Change Authority that this would significantly help lower Australia’s greenhouse gas output.
In April, the then industry minister, Ian Macfarlane, said the looming closure of vehicle makers Ford and Holden in Australia provided an opportunity to introduce better emissions standards. “If you have standards in Australia that are weaker than in Europe and the United States, we’ll get the dirty products”.
The federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, which monitors vehicle emissions standards, has also demanded answers from Volkswagen but is waiting for information.
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“If defeat devices have been used in Volkswagen or Audi vehicles in Australia, the government will ensure that affected vehicles are no longer supplied to the Australian market and that a recall of any affected vehicles already in the Australian fleet will be implemented as soon as possible”.
