ACC petrol tax shuffling transparent

ACC’s plan to shift a proposed petrol tax increase onto the motor vehicle levy doesn’t change the fact that it would hurt Kiwis who are already suffering from the Labour-led Government’s ill-thought out policies, National’s ACC spokesperson Tim Macindoe says.

“New Zealand motorists might have thought ACC’s decision to drop a proposed petrol levy was good news, but it’s far from it. ACC has simply shifted the ratio funding around so Kiwis will still have to pay the proposed increase, just at the time they pay their registration rather than at the pump.

“This is despite the Minister saying that ACC would have to make a ‘very, very strong case’ to increase the fuel levy which he also wouldn’t rule out. It now seems ACC is still looking to claim the tax from motorists by increasing the motor vehicle levy by 12 per cent.

“A tax hike on Kiwis already battling with the rising cost of living is still a tax hike, no matter how the Labour-led Government and ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway try to hide it.

“This might suit the Labour-led Government just fine, as it seeks to avoid the public relations challenge of yet another levy on top of the ones they’ve already piled on at the pump. But it does nothing to alleviate the pain Kiwis are feeling with the rising costs of day-to-day living.

“These moves would begin to reverse the significant reductions made by the previous National Government who brought the motor vehicle levy down from $335 in 2013 to $114 in 2017.

“The ACC Minister needs to front up to New Zealanders on what changes he will make to the ACC levies and refrain from dialling up costs on Kiwi families even further.”

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