High petrol prices? Blame the Government
4 JULY 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Government’s report claiming that fuel margins in New Zealand are not reasonable is a bit rich when fuel taxes
account for about 78 cents per litre compared to petrol company margins of less than 30 cents.
Jordan Williams, Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union, says, “Government taxes amount to 78c per litre, more than
twice the value of the fuel margins the politicians are crying crocodile tears about.”
“The Government needs to take a good look in the mirror before they start pointing the finger at everyone else.”
“If the Government is seriously considering intervening in the market by regulating petrol prices, this would be a huge
step backwards to the dark neosocialist days of 1970s fortress New Zealand.”
“There is no natural monopoly in distributing fuel and if there are excessive barriers to entry, that is the Governments
own fault with excessive regulation under the RMA and planning laws preventing new entrants.”
ENDS