Labour is pushing through a second car tax that will see Kiwis have to pay $12,000 more for a hilux in 2025, unfairly punishing those who don’t have the option to switch to an EV, National’s Transport spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says.

Under the Government’s Clean Car Standard an importer of some Toyota Hilux models in 2025 will have to pay $9376. The purchaser of the Hilux will then have to pay $2900 under the Car Tax.

Mr Woodhouse says that because the importer tax will likely be passed on to the purchaser, the total tax on a new Toyota Hilux will end up an eye-watering $12,276.

“This is a second tax on farmers and tradespeople for whom electric vehicles are simply not suitable. Clearly Transport Minister Michael Wood doesn’t realise that the Toyota Hilux is the workhorse of the primary sector.

“What’s worse here is that the Ministry of Transport told the Minister a target of 105g by 2025 would require a 40 per cent drop in emissions in just four years ‘would disrupt vehicle supply … push up vehicle prices, and slow the turn-over of the existing fleet’.

“It wasn’t just Officials who didn’t like the policy, the International Council on Clean Transportation thought the target would be ‘counterproductive’ and ‘unlikely to be achievable’ even if the standard was implemented alongside the Car Tax.

“Once again Labour is pushing ahead with ideological policies which will only end up punishing Kiwis who don’t have a choice when it comes to their vehicle and won’t reduce emissions to the target the Minister has set.

“Labour is increasingly out of touch on its transport priorities. After announcing a $785 million cycle bridge in Auckland while roads across the country have been left in disrepair, it’s now upped the tax on utes to $12,000 – a kick in the guts for those who need them.

“National supports transitioning to a low emission economy, but this policy goes too far and will only end up hurting New Zealanders.

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