(National Party media release)

The Government’s biofuel mandate will be another cost that will see motorists paying twice at the pump for carbon emissions, National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“Every litre of fuel Kiwis use already faces an 18 cent cost under the existing Emissions Trading Scheme. Adding a biofuel mandate on top of that will simply be another cost for the same outcome already being achieved by the ETS.

“MBIE stated that the introduction of the biofuel mandate will increase the price of petrol by 0.4 cents per litre, diesel by 7.1 cents per litre, and jet fuel by 7.1 cents per litre (or 11.2 per cent).

“Overall, it is estimated the economic cost of the policy will be over $1.2 billion. Yet as New Zealand already has a cap on our emissions, there will be no reduction in New Zealand’s total emissions.

“Essentially, this is a policy to make it more expensive for New Zealand to achieve emissions reduction targets, and to make petrol and diesel more expensive at the pump.

“At a time when Kiwis are paying more for petrol at the pump than ever before, the Government needs to grant relief to motorists by removing the Auckland regional fuel tax at a minimum.

“The mandate will be particularly hard for farmers who are already facing the introduction of the new ute tax, as the biofuel mandate could increase the price of diesel by 7 cents per litre.

“While National is supportive of biofuels and reducing our carbon emissions, the Government cannot double dip into Kiwis’ pockets by taxing them through the ETS and the biofuel mandate”