Simon Bridges has defended the previous National government’s record on fuel excise taxes, saying prices – in terms of tax – increased less in nine years under National than it had in this term.
Mr Bridges did not argue that National introduced six excise taxes on fuel between 2008 and 2017, raising the price 17 cents.
"Here’s the deal, we did that (the six excise taxes) over nine years, in Auckland in the last year, fuel prices, in terms of the tax, have gone up over 20 cents in this term."
"It’s much faster, much more radical, the problem the government’s got which they should have seen coming is that it is at a time where oil prices are going up significantly, the dollar is going down, that’s really hurting Kiwis and that’s why they should get rid of these new taxes."
He said a National government would not have put on an excise tax in the current climate.
"In relation to the excise tax you said they’d put up 3.5 per cent. I was really clear, we wouldn’t have put it on at the current time."
Mr Bridges said National would also get rid of the regional fuel tax.
"I’ve always said on the regional fuel tax, we wouldn’t have imposed it and we would get rid of it – no ifs, no buts."
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