Councils are licking their lips at the prospect of being able to implement regional fuel taxes of their own, according to ACT Leader David Seymour.

Phil Twyford’s regional fuel tax legislation is still making its way through Parliament, but information obtained under LGOIMA show that at least 14 councils have discussed the idea of implementing a regional fuel tax.

"These are the classic unintended consequences of government action. Phil Twyford has set out to solve a problem in Auckland, and now ratepayers across the country are going wear a new tax.

"The Government could have applied this tax to Auckland only, but they made it nationwide.

"As we saw with National's bright-line test that was later extended by Labour, taxes start out small but grow slowly over time.

“Labour believes taxpayers won’t notice its creeping socialism, but Kiwis will feel the burden of additional taxes.

"Rather than adding another tax to hardworking New Zealanders, central government should share the GST from new construction with local government so councils can build infrastructure", says Mr Seymour.

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