By Callum Purves

Responding to David Parker’s comments that hiking fuel taxes even further is not out of the question for Labour’s much-delayed transport budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, said:

“Fuel taxes hit poor and rural households the hardest, and we are just a few weeks since Labour last hiked fuel taxes by 29 cents per litre. As Kiwi families struggle to get by in a cost-of-living crisis caused by reckless Government overspending, David Parker’s comment that Labour won’t rule out yet another cash grab is simply tone-deaf.

“The National Land Transport Fund is used to subsidize loss-making railways, walkways and cycleways, as well as paying for swanky opening ceremonies where public servants can pat themselves on the back for overseeing vastly over-budget projects. This announcement just goes to show that this Government’s default action is taxing working Kiwis more, when it needs to be cutting out waste.”