The Taxpayers' Union is slamming the passage of legislation hiking the price of petrol at the pump to see that more than 50 percent of the price paid will soon be tax. Union spokesperson, Jordan Williams says:

“Clearly 'wellbeing' is just marketing fluff. Petrol taxes are highly regressive - they hit the poor, those in regional New Zealand, and those who live on outer suburbs the hardest. It's one of the cruelest forms of tax."

"Rushing these new petrol taxes through Parliament under urgency is disgraceful. They are a total breach of the Prime Minister's 'no new tax' election promise. And Labour know it."

“Pain at the pump underscores the fact that big-ticket Budget announcements come at a real cost, regardless of the fuzzy wellbeing language the politicians use to promote them.”

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