6 DECEMBER 2017

Government just as much to blame for motorists’ pain

Responding to the MBIE report released today that investigated surging fuel prices, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Economist, Joe Ascroft, said:

“It’s hypocritical for the Government to criticize petrol companies, when it has had just as much of an impact on petrol prices since 2008. While profit margins for petrol companies on a litre of fuel have increased by about 16 cents since 2008, fuel tax has increased by exactly the same amount over the same period."

“The last Government bears most of blame for current prices - they hiked the tax when petrol prices were low, and now prices have risen we feel the pinch twice over. But the new Government’s finger-wagging at petrol companies seems absurd considering they plan to introduce a new regional petrol tax.”

“If the Government wants to take some leadership and give motorists a break, the best thing they could do would be to reverse all increases to fuel excise since 2008.”

ENDS

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