Queensland LNP halts EV charging funding as regional electric car ownership surges 98 per cent in some areas

Queensland's Labor opposition has criticised the state LNP government for ending funding for EV charging networks, despite electric car ownership nearly doubling in regional areas. Opposition energy spokesman Lance McCallum told the Smart Energy Council's Queensland Energy Summit that EV uptake in the Western Downs region grew by almost 98 per cent, in Gladstone by 76 per cent, and on the Gold Coast by 47 per cent. The LNP has also scrapped plans to buy electric buses, opting instead for 630 diesel buses in a decision McCallum said would cost more than 250 million dollars.

Why it matters: The funding freeze threatens to stall charging infrastructure expansion in regions showing the strongest EV adoption, potentially creating a mismatch between demand and supply for CPOs planning rural deployments. The policy shift signals uncertainty for contractors and suppliers who had anticipated continued government support for Queensland's electric superhighway network, first launched in 2017.