August 9, 2026 — 7:30pm

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A divisive study has laid bare the true price of Australia’s huge number of private cars, finding they cost the country at least $316 billion a year – and the public foots half the bill.

University of Queensland researchers say they are the first to fully quantify the “car economy” across five states, and expose a whopping annual estimated cost of $158 billion to the wider public.

The huge public bill is the total of everything from congestion to the cost of car parks and roads, emissions, pollution and collisions.

“C…

Read the full article at SMH.COM.AU