Labour Guilty of Highway Robbery - Yet Again

Transport Minister Paul Swain's admission that Labour is considering raising the price of petrol nationwide, by five to fifteen cents a litre, shows the price it is paying for doing deals with the Greens over the Land Transport Management Bill, ACT New Zealand Transport Spokesman Deborah Coddington said today.

"The Bill - known as `the Bill of lost opportunities' - was passed last week, and won't add one kilometre to New Zealand roads. Written by the Greens, it allows uncapped amounts of road user charges to be taken and spent on cycle paths, walkways, coastal shipping and Labour's soon-to-be established TrackCo.

"Meanwhile the poor motorist will be whacked with a huge petrol tax hike. This would come on top of the 2001 Crown Revenue Petroleum Excise Tax increase (from 17.8c/l to 18.5c/l), the 2002 National Roads Fund petrol tax hike (from 13.525c/l to 17.725c/l), and the 2003 Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Act (from 2.3c/l to 5.08c/l).

"At present, when a family spends $50 on petrol, $27.25 goes into Government taxes and fees and $6.95 is spent on roads.

"Instead of raising the price of petrol, the Government must start spending more of the taxes it already collects from motorists on roads they badly need," Miss Coddington said.

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