Why the high court struck out Victoria’s EV tax – and the far-reaching effects of the decision

The high court ruled that Victoria should not have imposed a per-kilometre road user charge for electric vehicles, in a decision likely to affect other state’s plans. Photograph: Thurtell/Getty Images/iStockphoto

The high court has decided Victoria’s electric vehicles tax is invalid in a ruling the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, labelled a “surprise” and the Victorian treasurer, Tim Pallas, described as “very contentious”.

Not only has it put a stop to road-user charges in Victoria, it is likely to halt plans to do the same in NSW and Western Australia. It could also spark constitutional challenges to everything from gaming taxes and car registration payments to waste levies.