The average New Zealand household is now paying $200 a year more in petrol taxes than this time last year, with Auckland families paying $324 extra as a result of higher petrol prices and this Government’s decision to hike fuel taxes, National Leader Simon Bridges says.

Every time a New Zealander puts $1 of petrol in their vehicle, 53 cents of that is going straight into the Government’s coffers, and the Government’s share and the costs faced by Kiwis are only going to increase as fuel prices climb and the Government imposes new taxes.

“Since the election, petrol prices have increased by 42 cents a litre on average to record highs. That includes this month’s 3.5 cent hike in excise, netting the Government about $123 million a year in extra revenue, plus the GST on the fuel price increase which amounts to $220 million a year at current prices – all additional costs paid by New Zealanders.

“Auckland Council is also now collecting an extra $70 million a year from Auckland families as a result of its regional fuel tax, enabled by the Government.

“With two more excise tax hikes to come in the next two years, councils right around New Zealand already asking for the regional fuel tax to be rolled out nationwide and crude oil prices expected to continue to rise the Government is going to continue to take more and more money from the back pockets of New Zealanders.

“This Government fails to understand that petrol is typically a fixed cost for families and businesses. It is the cost of getting kids to school and groceries home from the supermarket. It is the cost of getting goods and services to your customers.

“This Government needs to realise it can’t keep heaping costs on New Zealand families, driving up the cost of living and making it harder to get ahead.

“Rather than imposing more taxes it needs to get its own spending under control and it could start with finding a more cost effective solution to the billions of dollars it wants to spend on Auckland’s trams.

“National understands we need to invest in infrastructure but we don’t need to keep imposing higher costs on New Zealanders to do it.”

© Scoop Media