Te Pāti Māori is calling on the Government to immediately suspend fuel excise tax to provide urgent relief for whānau already feeling the strain at the petrol pump.

“We cannot afford to sit back and wait for a full-blown crisis before we act. Our people are already hurting” said Te Pāti Māori Co-leader and Finance spokesperson Rawiri Waititi.

“For the wealthy, rising fuel prices is an inconvenience, for everyone else it’s a lifeline. For whānau in rural, isolated, and low-income areas without viable public transport options, higher petrol prices mean harder access to work, harder access to healthcare, higher food costs and increased financial stress across the board” Waititi said.

Te Pāti Māori says the Government must act now to take immediate pressure off household budgets by removing the excise component of fuel pricing.

“For an average whānau filling a 50-litre tank, fuel excise adds around $35 every time they fill up. Suspending fuel excise is the fastest way to put money back into people’s pockets immediately."

“The government has failed to invest in affordable and accessible public transport. Until the happens, our whānau will continue depend on fossil fuels for survival.”

“Global instability will continue to drive up fuel costs. The question is whether this Government is willing to act before the pressure becomes unbearable.”

“We’ve seen this before. During COVID, Māori communities and organisations led from the front. We moved early, we protected our people, and we got results" Waititi said.

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