Suzy, It is called progress and modernisation of society,...

Suzy,
It is called progress and modernisation of society, nothing to do with the left or right side of mindset or politics.
It is no longer acceptable for vehicles to spew out toxic fumes (look at cities in China and India), the reason governments around the world acted and introduce strict emission standard to ensure that its natives breath fresh air, polluted air create problems in the long run for human being and animals.
If we follow your thinking and logic, we will probably still pumping raw sewerage to the prestine ocean, that was acceptable in the 50s or 60s and no way it is acceptable to anyone now.
The same theory apply to the spewing of toxic fumes from ICE, it take time for the "slow" people to comprehend and accept the changes is inevitable for the good of the environment and Australia shouldn't left behind the rest of the world just because we have people like Abbott and die hard coal believers.