INDEPENDENT NEWS

Toll Roads Rip-off

Published: Mon 16 Oct 2006 09:43 AM
News Release from The Republic of New Zealand Party
Sunday 14 October 2006-10-15
For Immediate Release
Toll Roads Rip-off
The Republic of New Zealand Party (The Republicans) has called on New Zealanders to rise in protest against plans to charge tolls on new roads.
“This is nothing more than theft from the taxpayers,” says Wayne Hawkins, Deputy Leader of the Republicans
He referred to the recent increase in petrol tax of 5 cents a litre which brought tax for roads on a litre of petrol up to 41.2 cents.
“We were told the increase was to pay for new roads, so what’s happened to that?”
He said taxpayers have been paying for roads for decades through taxes on petrol, but the money has been put into the consolidated fund rather than used on roads.
“So here we go again, we the taxpayers are going to have to carry the can for their corruption, bad management and misappropriation of the taxes they’ve collected from us.”
He said the message that should be sent to Wellington is clear..
“You raise money for roads either by taxing petrol or imposing tolls, but you can’t have both.”
Mr Hawkins said the Republicans would ensure that all monies collected for roads were spent on roads.
“It’s a simple proposition. If you collect taxes for a specific purpose, you use them for that purpose. We are happy to be accountable for that.”
ENDS

Next in New Zealand politics

Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
By: New Zealand Government
Parliamentary Network Breached By The PRC
By: New Zealand Government
GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan
By: New Zealand Government
Tax Cuts Now Even More Irresponsible
By: New Zealand Labour Party
New Zealand Provides Further Humanitarian Support To Gaza And The West Bank
By: New Zealand Government
High Court Judge Appointed
By: New Zealand Government
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media