The Finance Minister says the Government has made the right move in delaying increase to the fuel tax at this stage.

The excise was due to rise 12-cents a litre next January, but has been delayed to the following year - and will only be five cents.

Nicola Willis says the Government is still on the path to returning to surplus, and they've determined they can fit this in as part of it.

"Ultimately, we've judged that we can fit it and also meet all of our budget responsibility rules in terms of maintaining that path to surplus - ensuring that we're still going to get debt tracking down."

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The Finance Minister says the Government has made the right move in delaying increase to the fuel tax at this stage.
The excise was due to rise 12-cents a litre next January, but has been delayed to the following year - and will only be five cents.
Nicola Willis says the Government is still on the path to returning to surplus, and they've determined they can fit this in as part of it.
"Ultimately, we've judged that we can fit it and also meet all of our budget responsibility rules in terms of maintaining that path to surplus - ensuring that we're still going to get debt tracking down."
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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.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Nicola Willis: Finance Minister on the Government delaying increases to the fuel excise tax

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bc3383c4-00a6-4b86-803e-b4b7007420d6/transcript

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 31 August, 2026, why the group representing truckies is angry at the Government cancelling next year's increase in the fuel excise tax.

Louise Nicholas on why she supports a proposal to replace juries with expert panels for rape trials.

We ask a pilot if the low-flying planes ahead of the All Blacks test in South Africa really is a safety issue.

And Trish Sherson and Josie Pagani on The Huddle. One of them gives ACT leader David Seymour a telling off.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 31 August, 2026, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/james-smith-road-carriers-association-advocacy-head-on-the-government-delaying-fuel-excise-hike/">why the group representing truckies is angry at the Government cancelling next year's increase in the fuel excise tax.</a>
Louise Nicholas on why she supports a <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/louise-nicholas-sexual-violence-advocate-on-judges-potentially-replacing-juries-on-sexual-violence-trials/">proposal to replace juries with expert panels for rape trials.</a>
We ask a pilot if <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/doug-moss-former-airline-pilot-and-safety-consultant-on-the-jets-that-flew-too-low-over-the-all-blacks-v-springboks-game/">the low-flying planes ahead of the All Blacks test in South Africa really is a safety issue.</a>
And Trish Sherson and Josie Pagani on The Huddle. One of them gives ACT leader David Seymour a telling off.
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Full Show Podcast: 31 August 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7e74891a-1d54-4649-9b1f-b4b70078925d/transcript

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Josie Pagani from Child Fund joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

The Government has deferred the planned fuel tax increase - with a smaller five cent hike planned for 2028 instead. Do we think this is the right move, or will this cost us in the long run? 

ACT's David Seymour says New Zealand needs to renegotiate its role in the Paris Agreement - or step away. This follows Luxon saying National will stay in the agreement and hold firm to this in future coalition negotiations. Do we agree with Luxon or Seymour? Which will be better for the economy - and New Zealand's future? 

Some jets flew quite low over the stadium ahead of the second All Blacks v Springboks test in Cape Town - and it sparked a divided response on social media. Was this too risky or are people just being uptight again?

LISTEN ABOVE

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Josie Pagani from Child Fund joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!
The Government has deferred the planned fuel tax increase - with a smaller five cent hike planned for 2028 instead. Do we think this is the right move, or will this cost us in the long run?&nbsp;
ACT's David Seymour says New Zealand needs to renegotiate its role in the Paris Agreement - or step away. This follows Luxon saying National will stay in the agreement and hold firm to this in future coalition negotiations. Do we agree with Luxon or Seymour? Which will be better for the economy - and New Zealand's future?&nbsp;
Some jets flew quite low over the stadium ahead of the second All Blacks v Springboks test in Cape Town - and it sparked a divided response on social media. Was this too risky or are people just being uptight again?
LISTEN ABOVE

The Huddle: Is David Seymour right about the Paris Agreement?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/526099e9-3c7e-4666-a315-b4b7007c53e3/transcript

Jeez, I'm not going to lie, I love the punitive part of National's student debt policy.

In case you missed it, it is essentially this: go easier on people with student loans who still live in New Zealand and crack down harder on those with loans who live overseas. National says it's a bid to keep our brightest graduates here.

Do I think that's actually going to work? No, I don't. I don't think raising interest on loans from 5.6 percent to 6.6 percent for people living overseas is going to stop someone from leaving when they can, in some cases, move to Australia and double their income. They're still going to go, aren't they?

And do I think a Kiwi paying back their student loan in New Zealand is going to stay here because they're now only paying 10 percent of their income towards their student loan instead of 12 percent ? Again, no.

Frankly, I don't think this is going to make a jot of difference to the so-called brain drain. But what I think it is actually going to do is crack down on the bludgers who take a ride on our generous education system, study essentially for free, then bugger off overseas, pay taxes in another country and never pay this country back.

It's going to lower the threshold of what authorities need to prove, which should make it easier for them to arrest these people at the border. It's also going to freeze defaulters' KiwiSaver accounts until they actually pay New Zealand back in full.

Right, so until they've paid us back, they don't get access to their KiwiSaver accounts.

It grinds my gears every single time I read stories about people absolutely taking the mickey, refusing to pay this country back for putting them through university and then swanning back from overseas to visit Mum and Dad for the summer hols as if they're not obligated to pay when they are.

Ninety-three percent of our outstanding student loan debt is held by people who are overseas. Ninety-three percent.

Do you remember the doctor? This was the worst case of it. The doctor who moved to Australia and owed us $180,000. Then he came back here, got himself arrested at the border because he owed us $180,000 and then moaned about it, saying he didn't think he could afford to pay it back.

He was a surgeon.

There's a two-way billboard right there.

This policy, I don't think, is going to stop the brain drain. But I'll tell you what: it's going to lead to a few actual arrests and I'm okay with that.

LISTEN ABOVE

Jeez, I'm not going to lie, I love the punitive part of National's student debt policy.
In case you missed it, it is essentially this: go easier on people with student loans who still live in New Zealand and crack down harder on those with loans who live overseas. National says it's a bid to keep our brightest graduates here.
Do I think that's actually going to work? No, I don't. I don't think raising interest on loans from 5.6 percent to 6.6 percent for people living overseas is going to stop someone from leaving when they can, in some cases, move to Australia and double their income. They're still going to go, aren't they?
And do I think a Kiwi paying back their student loan in New Zealand is going to stay here because they're now only paying 10 percent of their income towards their student loan instead of 12 percent ? Again, no.
Frankly, I don't think this is going to make a jot of difference to the so-called brain drain. But what I think it is actually going to do is crack down on the bludgers who take a ride on our generous education system, study essentially for free, then bugger off overseas, pay taxes in another country and never pay this country back.
It's going to lower the threshold of what authorities need to prove, which should make it easier for them to arrest these people at the border. It's also going to freeze defaulters' KiwiSaver accounts until they actually pay New Zealand back in full.
Right, so until they've paid us back, they don't get access to their KiwiSaver accounts.
It grinds my gears every single time I read stories about people absolutely taking the mickey, refusing to pay this country back for putting them through university and then swanning back from overseas to visit Mum and Dad for the summer hols as if they're not obligated to pay when they are.
Ninety-three percent of our outstanding student loan debt is held by people who are overseas. Ninety-three percent.
Do you remember the doctor? This was the worst case of it. The doctor who moved to Australia and owed us $180,000. Then he came back here, got himself arrested at the border because he owed us $180,000 and then moaned about it, saying he didn't think he could afford to pay it back.
He was a surgeon.
There's a two-way billboard right there.
This policy, I don't think, is going to stop the brain drain. But I'll tell you what: it's going to lead to a few actual arrests and I'm okay with that.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Is National's new student debt policy really going to stop our brain drain?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ac05f243-0b6e-4594-9dea-b4b70078057e/transcript

Nicola Willis: Finance Minister on the Government delaying increases to the fuel excise tax

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