Asia & Pacific

New Zealand to Drop Petrol Taxes in Favour of Road User Charges

This marks the biggest change to road funding in New Zealand in 50 years.
New Zealand to Drop Petrol Taxes in Favour of Road User Charges
A registration label is dispensed from a self-service payment terminal in New Zealand. Photo courtesy NZ Transport Agency.
Rex Widerstrom
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In what Transport Minister Chris Bishop has called the biggest change to how New Zealand funds its road network in 50 years, the government has announced its intention to abolish petrol taxes and replace them with electronic road user charges (RUCs) for all light vehicles.

Heavy vehicles, diesel-powered machinery such as utes and farm equipment, and electric vehicles already pay under an RUC system.

Rex Widerstrom
Rex Widerstrom
Author
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.