By Callum Purves

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Government to halt its planned tax hikes for 1 July. On Saturday, the following taxes will be increased:

• Petrol Excise: up 29c per litre (including GST)
• Diesel Road User Charges: up 56%
• Alcohol tax: up 6.6%
• Ute tax: up $1725

Commenting on the planned increases, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, said:

“The cost of living crisis has been driven by the cost of government crisis. Government spending is out of control and has forced the Reserve Bank to hike interest rates, which will compound the pain for families needing to renew their mortgages.

“The Government might talk a lot about tackling the cost of living, but actions speak louder than words. Hiking fuel taxes and the ute tax will hit poorer and rural New Zealanders – who rely on their cars and utes to travel and get to work – hardest.

“This unnecessary cash grab will be used to fund nice-to-haves such as fancy new Teslas for the already well off, loss-making railways, and barely used cycleways. Hardworking families, farmers and tradies are being forced to subsidize the lifestyles of better-off city residents.

“These tax hikes are completely avoidable if the Government can bring itself to stop wasting other people’s hard-earned money on funding its vanity projects.”