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The government must immediately cancel a planned fuel excise tax increase while international oil prices remain high and households are already feeling the squeeze at the petrol pump, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere believes.
“Kiwis should not be hit with higher fuel costs because this government refuses to rule out a tax grab. Roads of National Significance are no longer on the cards because National couldn’t afford them.
“With those fantasy roads gone, National has had every opportunity to give motorists certainty, but they can’t even rule out increasing fuel excise while oil prices are elevated. That is simply not good enough.”
Introducing news taxes has been ruled out by the National party, should it lead the next government, but increasing existing taxes has not.
Increases to the fuel excise tax would put an extra burden on New Zealanders, Utikere expects.
“When the cost of filling up the car is already putting pressure on household budgets, the last thing Kiwis need is Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis adding to the bill, and to inflation,” he says. “Higher fuel prices means more expensive food, farming and freight, and New Zealanders aren’t managing as it is.
“[The government] should cancel the fuel excise increases and give New Zealanders certainty that they won’t be slugged with even higher costs at the pump.”
