Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects Paul Fletcher has announced on Friday that Audi and Volkswagen Australia had agreed to conduct voluntary recalls for vehicles fitted with emission defeat devices.

Fletcher said the decision came as a result of the discussions between the two companies and the Australian government.

Fletcher said this was "an appropriate step" and the Australian government expected Audi and Volkswagen Australia to keep it informed as the process continued.

He noted that the number of vehicles affected is higher than the two companies had previously publicly announced.

Previous reports said there are about 90,000 vehicles in Australia which are affected by the so-called "dieselgate" scandal. "Audi and Volkswagen need to ensure that numbers are finalized and all affected consumers are notified as soon as possible," Fletcher said.

"The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is currently investigating whether Volkswagen and Audi exposed consumers to false, misleading or deceptive representations."

The presence of emissions defeat devices may be a breach of the Australian Design Rules under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989. The Australian Design Rules are also covered by Australian Consumer Law (ACL) as mandatory safety standards. Endi

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