Maurice Williamson - National Party Transport Spokesperson

9 February 2005

No need to sock motorists again

National's Transport spokesman, Maurice Williamson, says there is no need for Labour to sock motorists with a further 5.6 cents per litre petrol tax at a time when international prices are so high and when it is sitting on a massive surplus.

He is commenting on the Customs and Excise (Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill which will enable the Government to introduce a 5.6c per litre tax increase at any time it chooses.

"Transfund finished the last financial year with $230 million of unspent money, and the Government takes more than $600 million a year, at 18 cents per litre, in petrol tax that does not go to roading.

"If Labour needs the extra money it should have come from reducing the tax to 13 cents, or taken it from the $6.5 billion surplus that Dr Cullen is running, rather than putting even more of a burden on overtaxed Kiwis," Mr Williamson says.

ENDS

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