With petrol prices climbing to record levels the Government should axe its plans to impose two new fuel taxes on New Zealanders, National’s Transport spokesperson Jami-Lee Ross says.

“New Zealanders are now paying record prices for petrol. The current price of $2.30 per litre beats the previous record set in 2013 and commentators are saying it could go as high as $3.

“At the same time the Government is imposing two new petrol taxes worth up to 25 cents per litre more, meaning New Zealanders could be paying up to an extra $15 every time they fill up.

“That’s too much and let’s not forget that with the price of petrol increasing without the new taxes, the Government is already collecting more tax revenue through higher prices.

“The Government is being completely hypocritical when it claims its trying to act on petrol price rises when it itself is driving them up. It is talking about a squeeze on middle New Zealand when it’s doing the squeezing by adding more taxes and costs to meet bad spending promises like $1 billion for Winston Peters and his diplomats.

“What’s worse is we know the Government doesn’t need the new money – it is awash with cash and if it gave up on its obsession with building an unnecessary tram in Auckland then it could build the roads and other infrastructure without the tax increases.

“It’s yet another example of this Government taxing more, borrowing more and spending more and New Zealanders paying the price. With petrol costs increasing it needs to put a stop to its plans to tax New Zealanders even more.”

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