QUEENSLAND, AU - The Queensland government will swap its gas-guzzling six-cylinder cars for more fuel efficient hybrids as part of a plan to have the "greenest" government fleet in the country, according to www.smh.com.

Public Works Minister Rob Schwarten told state parliament the government would do more to combat climate change, including encouraging the uptake of greener cars within its fleet to further reduce emissions.

Schwarten said four-cylinder cars now comprised 55 per cent of the Queensland government's fleet of vehicles, known as Q-Fleet.

"Just two years ago, over 60 percent of Q-Fleet's passenger vehicles consisted of six-cylinder cars," he said.

"I am setting a new target for Q-Fleet to reduce the total number of six-cylinder passenger vehicles to 30 per cent of the total fleet by 2010.

"We will also work to double the number of hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius and the hybrid Honda Civic, to nearly 350 over the next three years."

Schwarten said he had also set a target for Q-Fleet to achieve a 50-percent carbon offset by 2010, with a full 100-percent carbon offset by 2020.

"Q-Fleet will become the greenest government fleet in the country," he said.

Schwarten said new diesel engine technology, used in Europe, would also play a role in the "future greening" of Q-Fleet.

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