I think it’s time to the end the freeloading of the EV owners, don’t you?

The big news from the Chris Hipkins government is that they’re raising petrol tax again.

That's right... they were just giving us a discount on the tax 2 months ago and now they are going in the opposite direction.

From next year they’ll start hiking phasing in 12 cents a litre hike

Why?

Well because we’ve got to pay to fix the potholes

That’s what that petrol tax pays for.

So do the road user charges that the drivers of diesel cars pay.

But the EV owners pay nothing

They are driving on our roads for free and have been since the first EV hit New Zealand.

Their exception period is due to run out April next year so you would think they are going start paying in about eight months. 

But no... don’t be so sure

More news out today is that officials are concerned about doing it

They are worried about noncompliance and the system not coping

I’ve had enough of this, haven’t you?

This might have made back when there were about 100 EVs and the government was hell bent on convincing people to buy them

But there are 85,000 on the road.

They create more potholes that your average petrol or diesel vehicle because they are heavier. 

They are more likely to be owned by wealthy people than poor people

And it is just obscene to allow wealthier people to drive for free while charging poorer people more to fix potholes

And we already give these guys a subsidy to buy the cars

We are short nearly a billion dollars that we need to get the roads up to scratch and the day that most of us being told we’re going to pay more in petrol tax.

It is insulting not be told the EV owners will pay too.

Make the EV owners pay like the rest of us.

LISTEN ABOVE

I think it’s time to the end the freeloading of the EV owners, don’t you? 
The big news from the Chris Hipkins government is that they’re raising petrol tax again.
That's right... they were just giving us a discount on the tax 2 months ago and now they are going in the opposite direction.
From next year they’ll start hiking phasing in 12 cents a litre hike 
Why? 
Well because we’ve got to pay to fix the potholes 
That’s what that petrol tax pays for.
So do the road user charges that the drivers of diesel cars pay.
But the EV owners pay nothing 
They are driving on our roads for free and have been since the first EV hit New Zealand.
Their exception period is due to run out April next year so you would think they are going start paying in about eight months. 
But no... don’t be so sure 
More news out today is that officials are concerned about doing it 
They are worried about noncompliance and the system not coping 
I’ve had enough of this, haven’t you? 
This might have made back when there were about 100 EVs and the government was hell bent on convincing people to buy them 
But there are 85,000 on the road.
They create more potholes that your average petrol or diesel vehicle because they are heavier. 
They are more likely to be owned by wealthy people than poor people 
And it is just obscene to allow wealthier people to drive for free while charging poorer people more to fix potholes 
And we already give these guys a subsidy to buy the cars 
We are short nearly a billion dollars that we need to get the roads up to scratch and the day that most of us being told we’re going to pay more in petrol tax.
It is insulting not be told the EV owners will pay too.
Make the EV owners pay like the rest of us.
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.