‘Work with what works’: Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce.

Barnaby Joyce says Labor’s proposed fuel efficiency standard is a “bad idea” and will limit people’s vehicle choices, contradicting promises by Energy Minister Chris Bowen that it will give motorists a bigger selection of new cars, vans and utes.

“What we’re seeing quite clearly here is that we just don’t produce the fuel, we don’t have the vehicles, we don’t have people who can sell the vehicles and they’re going to cost more,” the New England Nationals MP told Sky News’ First Edition.

“It’s all around an incredibly bad idea for us,” he said.

“Like most of these ideas that emanate from inner suburban areas, you probably have people with money and with the capacity to get access to the parts over time, but not here in regional Australia.

“We’ve got to work with what we’ve got and we’ve got to work with what works and not with what Mr Bowen dreams up.”