The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has denied that the Thai prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, asked him to slow the introduction of Australia’s planned fuel efficiency standard, as tensions simmer between climate advocates and car companies over the proposal to import cleaner vehicles.
Albanese and Thavisin met on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Asean summit in Melbourne. An account of the conversation released by the Thai government said Thavisin raised Australia’s proposed fuel efficiency standard and how it might affect car exports from his country.
