Relief at last: Taxpayers’ Union celebrates end of the regressive, ‘reverse Robin Hood’ ute tax

The Taxpayers’ Union is today celebrating the end of Labour’s ute tax and tesla subsidy that saw money being taken away from hard-working farmers and tradies and given to Wellington champagne socialists buying Teslas.

Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy said:

“At last this costly, ineffective and unfair tax has come to an end. Not only did it punish those who had little choice but to drive a high emitting vehicle but it didn’t make a shred of difference for the climate either.

“Transport emissions are already governed under New Zealand’s capped Emissions Trading Scheme so any reductions from driving cleaner vehicles will simply free up carbon credits to drive up emissions elsewhere in the economy.

“While the removal of this tax will be a welcome result for many of those wanting new utes, it will offer little reprieve to those farmers and tradies who lost vehicles in the flooding last year and were forced to pay thousands of dollars more for a replacement.

“The Taxpayers’ Union is willing to meet with any journalist or MP to explain how the ETS works and help work towards the lowest-cost pathway to emissions reduction.”