Podcasts about road user charges

There's a big shake up coming to the way we pay for our roads. The government wants to replace the petrol tax with electronic road user charges. 

The biggest change in fifty years to how our roading network is funded was announced this week. Petrol tax is out and instead drivers will pay based on how much they travel. This change affects more than 3 million of us, so we had questions. The AA's Policy Director Martin Glynn helps explain what this announcement means.

Education Minister Erica Stanford repeatedly tried to brief and seek input from Labour's education spokeswoman Willow-Jean Prime about impending NCEA changes - but Prime and Hipkins refused to meet. Is this what we expect from the opposition? Also, the Wellington City Council has voted against a proposal to install fencing along Wellington's waterfront after a recommendation from the coroner. Is this the right call? To answer those questions, BRG senior consultant and former chief press secretary to Christopher Luxon Hamish Rutherford and Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Nick Mills for Friday Faceoff. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fuel taxes are set to be replaced by road user charges for all vehicles - and it's left many wondering how these changes will be implemented. Eroad has welcomed this development, and their share price has risen in the hours since Transport Minister Chris Bishop made this announcement. Eroad co-CEO Mark Heine says the company's been making use of electronic road user charges (eRUC) for years and says the technology's there to get this going. "We're still working through with the Government for the pricing for that, but our target is to get it as cheap as possible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is hoping to have petrol tax fully scrapped by 2027, with all motorists moving towards paying road user charges per kilometre. But if the idea is that this is cost neutral, what's the point? Also, Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced a raft of changes to the Fisheries Act, but as a former chair of Sealord and someone who has received donations from the industry, is he the right person to be making these decisions? To answer those questions, Labour's Ohariu MP Greg O'Connor and National's Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford joined Nick Mills for Politics Thursday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the face of it, the announcement from Transport Minister Chris Bishop yesterday makes good sense. It's been signalled; it was National Party election policy to move away from a fuel excise duty to road user charges (RUC). Simeon Brown, who was the transport spokesman at the time, said it would be a fairer way to charge for the distance people drive rather than the amount of fuel they use, given the different nature of the way we drive these days and the vehicles we drive. So the current fuel excise duty is expected to be abolished in the coming years, all vehicles moving to road user charges. These are currently paid by owners of diesel, electric, and heavy vehicles. Last year the Government said the transition away from the so-called petrol tax could happen as soon as 2027. Yesterday, Chris Bishop said no date had been set, in order to make sure the changes aren't rushed. Which put this rather in the category of an announcement of an announcement. What was announced yesterday is: Removing the requirement to carry or display RUC licences, allowing for digital records instead. Enable the use of a broader range of electronic RUC devices, including those already built into many modern vehicles. Supporting flexible payment models, such as post-pay and monthly billing. Separating NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi's (NZTA) roles as both RUC regulator and retailer to foster fairer competition. Allowing bundling of other road charges such as tolls and time-of-use-based pricing into a single, easy payment. Currently, the system is mostly paper-based and drivers have to monitor their odometers to check what distance they have driven. It also requires owners to buy RUCs in 1000km chunks. The Automobile Association is broadly supportive of the changes. AA Transport policy director Martin Glynn spoke to the Mike Hosking Breakfast and believes moving to an electronic system is a good idea. MG: “I think absolutely long term, as vehicles become more fuel efficient and people start, you know, there's different ways of powering vehicles, as we all know it's just not sustainable. So yeah we actually do need to make the shift. MH: "The electronics behind it, is the transfer easy? If you get an app or you get a sensor in your car or whatever that turns out to be, is that easy? MG: "The announcements been a little bit vague. Certainly for new cars the Minister's been clear that a lot of that data and the systems are already available in the car itself, so that should be fairly straightforward. But I think that what he seems to be signalling is that we're moving to electronic devices to measure distance, and base, and weight. So that would be actually something in vehicles like we have the heavy vehicles now. And the National Road Carrier Association CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers spoke to Early Edition this morning, and they also think it's a good move. “It's a once in 50 year change. Every country around the world is actually facing this problem where you've got EVs and far more efficient petrol engines just reducing how roading's paid for. New Zealand's actually in, we're in quite a good position because we're world pioneers in road user charges. We were the first to bring it out in the late 70s and we're still a world leader on it with electronic RUCs for how trucks pay for it, so we're actually in quite a strong position compared to other countries.” Who knew? I did not realise that we were world leaders in road user charges. At first glance, it makes sense. The Minister said that as our vehicle fleet has changed, so too must the way we fund our roads. It isn't fair, Chris Bishop said, to have Kiwis who drive less and can't afford the fuel-efficient cars paying more than people who can afford one and drive more often. He said the intent is to make paying RUC user friendly and similar to paying a power bill online or a Netflix subscription. The thing is though, if you don't pay your power bill or your Netflix subscription, the service is cut. You don't get it anymore. You don't pay, you don't get it. You can't do that with roads. It's not as though all of a sudden a barrier is going to appear at your driveway, and you're not allowed to go onto the road because you haven't paid your RUC. And according to number of mechanics, the number of vehicles that turn up where the RUC have not been paid is extraordinary. So the system will only be as good as the technology that can isolate the people who are not paying. I'm sure you'll be able to fiddle the electronics if you can fiddle odometers, and people have been doing that ever since there's been the buying and trading of vehicles. The technology has to be as tamper proof as we can make it. It's the right move, but we just have to ensure we have the technology to ensure that users do indeed pay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When I heard Transport Minister Chris Bishop talking about the Government's changes to the road user charges system, I had a bit of a Max Bradford moment. Max was the National Party minister who told us back in 1988 that his reforms of the electricity sector were going to mean cheaper power prices. Which is what Chris Bishop was saying yesterday about the plan to ditch petrol taxes and move all vehicle owners to road user charges which, at the moment, are only paid by people with diesel, electric, and heavy vehicles. He said: “From a cash flow point of view, it'll help people. At the moment, when you go and fill your car up you pay petrol tax at the pump, right there at 70 cents per litre, roughly.” The part of yesterday's announcement that really caught my eye was NZTA not being responsible for collecting and processing the road user charge payments. Instead, that's going to be farmed out to private operators which the government says will encourage “fairer competition”. And, in saying that, the Government is trying to sell some sort of idea that by not having NZTA involved, these charges are somehow going to be cheaper. Which is why I had Max Bradford ringing in my ears. Because he was talking nonsense when he said his reforms back in 1988 were going to mean cheaper power prices. And Chris Bishop is talking nonsense if he expects us to believe that contracting private outfits to take over is going to mean cheaper costs for vehicle owners. The minister says it's possible we'll pay our road user charges through an app, which is why the government wants to get private operators involved. Because it doesn't want to spend the time and money developing the technology and the systems. But will this “fairer competition” it's talking about really mean things being cheaper at our end? Of course not. And this is not me having a dig at any of the companies who might have heard that announcement yesterday and saw an opportunity. Because that's what business is all about: seeing opportunities. And, again, this isn't me having a dig at businesses, but they don't do these kinds of things for free. Being in business is all about clipping the ticket as much as possible. And no business is going to want to get involved in the new road user charging system if it can't clip the ticket. That's just how it is. Which is why I don't like the Government's plan to take NZTA out of the picture. Yes, I support the shift to everyone paying road user charges, because that makes sense. Because when you use a road, it makes no difference whether you drive an old dunger or something more modern – you're still using it. With road user charges, you pay depending on how many kilometres you drive instead of how much fuel you buy. And if you've got the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the market, why should you effectively pay less to use the same road as someone who can only afford an old gas guzzler? You shouldn't. So the move to us all paying road user charges will get no argument from me. What I am pushing back on, though, is the plan to get private companies running the new system. To let private companies clip the ticket which, as far as I can see, will only lead to us paying more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fuel taxes are set to be replaced by road user charges for all vehicles - and it's left many wondering how these changes will be implemented. Eroad has welcomed this development, and their share price has risen in the hours since Transport Minister Chris Bishop made this announcement. Eroad co-CEO Mark Heine says the company's been making use of electronic road user charges (eRUC) for years and says the technology's there to get this going. "We're still working through with the Government for the pricing for that, but our target is to get it as cheap as possible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 5th of August, the unemployment number wasn't as bad as predicted, but it could still go up from here – plus, the Government has announced a shift to Road User Charges. We can't be too worried about the economy since we all seem to be overseas on holiday, and then a record number of us are making travel insurance claims for overseas injuries. It's been too long since we caught up with Kiwi country singer Kaylee Bell, so she's in to play us her new single and talk the upcoming album and tour. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AA is onboard with the switch from petrol tax to electronic Road User Charges, but says there are a few issues to sort out. The change is expected to come in by 2027. Transport Policy Director Martin Glynn says it's likely there will be devices actually in vehicles to make the measurements. He told Mike Hosking it will be easier to implement with modern cars. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the Government just announced what they're calling the biggest change to road funding in 50 years. Once these changes kick in, petrol taxes are out and RUCs - road user charges - are in, for everyone. Not just truckies, not just EV drivers, not just diesel users, every single one of us. This is not really a surprise, the Government flagged this two years ago. But now the work is starting and Cabinet has agreed to start changing the law on it. And generally, I think this is a good idea. It's going to make it more transparent, as most of us have no idea how much we're paying to use the road because it's hidden in the petrol cost. But once it's stripped out, it's going to smack us in the face every month - or however often - we pay that bill. And it's actually a lot, tax makes up almost half the cost of petrol. It's also going to, if designed properly, change our behaviour for the better. Heavier cars should end up being charged more - as they should - because they do more damage to the roads. For example, electric vehicles, which are enormously heavy, will be pot-holing the road more than a lighter Suzuki Swift. That should, if we respond rationally to pricing, move us towards lighter vehicles and away from the trend of 'bigger is better' - which is better for road maintenance. But everything hangs off on enforcement. Because this is ripe for gaming. The same people who don't get a WOF and don't get a rego now won't get their RUCs. So if you're going from a simple system where it gets taken at the pump to a more complex 'count the Ks and file the paperworks system', how will you be sure everyone does it? In an announcement light on detail - that's the question I have. But in theory, it's a good idea. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Transport Minister says the petrol tax needs replacing - to keep up revenue for maintaining roads. Chris Bishop's announced universal road user charges will be implemented for all vehicles, to be paid like a bill. The Government wants payments to reflect road-use, not a vehicle's fuel-efficiency. Bishop says with 350,000 hybrids on the road, fewer people are paying fuel taxes. He explained the national land transport fund's revenue is slowly diminishing - which is needed to maintain existing roads and build new ones. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government hopes abolishing the petrol tax levels the playing field for motorists. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop's announced the Government plans to implement universal road user charges, to be paid like a bill. AA Principal Policy Advisor Terry Collins joined the Afternoons team to explain further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Full Show Podcast for the 6th of August - big news today that the Government is looking to abolish all fuel taxes in favour of Road User Charges for all vehicles. There are a lot of unanswered questions about how that would be implemented but Matt and Tyler took the temperature of the audience and not all were in favour. Then a fraught question over dog poo and what to do when you are walking your dog and you run out of poo bags! Get the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Podcast every weekday afternoon on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The road freight industry is backing the Government's wish to have all vehicles paying electronic Road User Charges. It wants to do it by 2027. National Road Carriers Association Chief Executive Justin Tighe-Umbers says the current system means some pay less because they can afford more efficient cars. He told Ryan Bridge the current system isn't collecting enough revenue. Tighe-Umbers says we're missing out on billions for new roads and maintenance. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's blaming New Zealand's rising unemployment on the last Government's economic management. The rate's hit a five-year high of 5.2%, just shy of Treasury's predicted 5.4%. Christopher Luxon told Kerre Woodham when inflation rises, interest rates go up, the economy shrinks, and people lose their jobs. He says Labour had a lovely big spend-up party, but it's left a significant hangover. Luxon says we have to work our way through the economic cycle, which is what we're doing now. China's doubling down on its deal with the Cook Islands. Ambassador to New Zealand, Wang Xiaolong says China wants to co-operate on seabed mining research, an inter-island cargo ship between the two countries, and infrastructure. The partnership has prompted backlash from New Zealand, which has a special relationship with the Islands, including the withdrawal of aid. Meanwhile, Luxon told Woodham the Governor-General is visiting the Cooks to celebrate our 60 years free association. He says he's proud of the people, but has an issue with their Government's moves. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight we talked the coalition government's new road user charges proposal, Australia exporting gold to the United States and why Trade Me users refuse to courier their products. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trev and Steve drive the Smart #3 Brabus edition and share their thoughts - we'll have to talk to Penelope again soon! Plus we talk about EV options vs PHEV for a city dweller with some weekend drive needs. We learn about battery health and what it really means, and we discuss the Road Usage Charges which are quite frankly a requirement if the federal budget is going to balance. What do you think? Get in touch 0477 657 657

The Government could make decisions on how to transition the light vehicle fleet from fuel taxes to road user charges as soon as next March. The ministry is seeking information from businesses offering services that support the purchase, measurement or management of road user charges. AA policy director Martin Glynn says more vehicles pay less fuel excise tax than ever - and this change needs to happen. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Politics Friday, Labour's Megan Woods and National's Matt Doocey joined John to dig into some of the biggest political stories of the week.  On the agenda was the proposed road user charges system – will it work? Is it fair? Can National and Labour agree on an infrastructure plan to ensure things get finished? And is importing LNG a longterm solution? What does the former Energy Minister make of National's plans?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you drive a petrol vehicle, how's that $20-a-week tax cut looking now that the Government wants to sting you with road user charges?  I'm being a bit facetious. Because I actually think road user charges are much fairer than fuel taxes. Because, when you use a road, it makes no difference whether you drive an old dunger or something more modern - you're still using it.  Because with road user charges, you pay depending on how many kilometres you drive, instead of how much fuel you buy.  And if you've got the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the market, why should you effectively pay less to use the same road as someone who can only afford an old gas guzzler?  You shouldn't. Which is why the Government wants owners of petrol vehicles to pay their way the same way drivers of diesel vehicles and EVs do right now - through road user charges. Which would be much fairer than a fuel tax.  Just like we pay the same amount for things like Netflix, whether we watch it on a cruddy old TV or the latest high-definition TV.  That's what this is. User pays for our roads. And a much fairer version of user pays than what we have at the moment. Which means, if you drive a petrol vehicle, you pay a fuel tax. And, if you drive a diesel or an electric vehicle - you pay road user charges.  Before you think I'm getting too carried away, there is a caveat on my support for what the Government wants to do.  And I think this is where the people who have been screaming blue murder since the Transport Minister announced his plan are coming from. They're saying there's no way they're going to pay road user charges, as well as fuel taxes.  And fair enough too. There is no way the Government could justify stinging us for both. So that's the only caveat on me saying ‘yep, go for it'.  There's another thing too. How realistic is all this?  For starters, Simeon Brown reckons he can have road user charges for petrol vehicles in place by 2027. Which, of course, is after the next election. So get ready for this to be an election issue in a couple of years' time.  And, while this all looks good on paper - well, I think so anyway. While this all looks good on paper, there are other unanswered questions.  Will owners of petrol vehicles even bother paying these new road user charges? You can guarantee there will be some who won't. Who knows how many.  How is the Government going to make sure whether people are paying them or not That's the $3.5 million question the Government doesn't have an answer to yet. There are 3.5 million petrol vehicles in New Zealand at the moment. Which is about three-quarters of all vehicles on the road.   And the big question: the Government has already talked about a 12 percent increase in petrol taxes in 2027 —the same year these new RUCs come into force— so what's happening on that front?  The closest thing to an answer to that question can be found in the media statement the Transport Minister put out yesterday.   Simeon Brown says: “We are transitioning the light vehicle fleet to road user charges, and away from fuel tax, by as early as 2027.   "Transitioning to road user charges will ensure that all road users are contributing fairly to the upkeep of our roads, regardless of the vehicle they drive.”    So “transitioning away from fuel tax” is all he's saying about that. And, for me, that's the crucial bit.   Because, even though I think road user charges are a much fairer way of paying to use our country's roads, it would be nothing short of a rort for the Government to charge us a petrol tax and road user charges.    Perhaps we can take comfort in the fact that with vehicles becoming more fuel-efficient, shifting to road user charges will mean the Government will get more revenue than what it's getting now under the current way of doing things. And, on that basis, it will be more-than-happy to ditch the taxes outright.  But I'm happy to put that question aside for now. I'm happy to give the Government the benefit of the doubt. And I'm happy to say that, at this stage, I'm right behind the idea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transporting New Zealand is welcoming the news that drivers of petrol vehicles could be paying road user charges by 2027. Interim Chief Executive Dom Kalasih spoke to Corin Dann.

There are big changes ahead for drivers with the government signalling it plans to move all petrol vehicles to a road user charge system by 2027. Political reporter Giles Dexter has more.

A sudden shift to road user charges may mean a fairer system for all drivers.   Fuel excise tax could be gone —and petrol cars hit with the charges from 2027— under the Government's Revenue Action Plan.   It's also exploring tolling for all new roads, including the Roads of National Significance.   AA Transport Policy Director Martin Glynn told Mike Hosking it amends a system which isn't as efficient as it could be.  He said with vehicles becoming more fuel efficient, a widespread tax will also mean more revenue for the government.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 29th of August, the Government says all vehicles could face road user charges as soon as 2027 to help pay for more transport infrastructure. Rodney Local Board Member and Road Safety Campaigner Geoff Upson joins the show.  Hawke's Bay Regional Council are under fire for letting patched gang members attend their vote on Māori wards. Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby speaks to Ryan about what went down.  And the All Blacks will face the Springboks in South Africa over the weekend. Will they have an advantage being on home soil? Former Springbok Kevin Putt shares his predictions.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roading advocates say a sudden shift to widespread user charges would be relatively straightforward.  Petrol cars could be hit with road user charges from 2027 under the Government's Revenue Action Plan.   It's also exploring tolling for all new roads, including the Roads of National Significance.   Auckland's Rodney Local Board member and roading campaigner Geoff Upson told Ryan Bridge it's a tried and true system used by diesel and electric vehicles.   He says no matter the engine size, drivers will be paying per kilometre driven.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government wants to move the entire vehicle fleet to paying road-user-charges - but how would this work, and when will it happen? 

A new report says our fuel tax system is outdated and unfair.  A new report from the NZ Initiative proposes replacing the fuel excise duty with a new Smart Road User Charges system.  Under the system all vehicles would be charged based on actual road usage, time of day, and vehicle type.  Lead author Matthew Birchall says it would reduce congestion and ensure a fairer distribution of costs.  He says it's a revenue-neutral system where you wouldn't pay more, but just change the source.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's looking more likely the fast tracked roads of national significance will be tolled.  Construction will begin in the next three years, but exact time frames and costs are not yet known, sparking fears from freight and transport companies.  Transporting NZ Interim Chief Executive Dom Kalasih joins Ryan Bridge on Early Edition to discuss.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first New Zealand and international wave of electric vehicle (EV) uptake is probably over, with cheaper cars and better public charging infrastructure required for further major growth in the uptake of these "batteries on wheels," says James Foster. In a new episode of interest.co.nz's Of Interest podcast, Foster, who runs the EVDB website, says EVs reaching price parity with internal combustion engine (petrol) vehicles, will be a very significant development. The rise of Chinese EVs should help with this."At the beginning of 2022 we didn't really have any Chinese brand vehicles [in NZ] and now 20% of those on the road are [Chinese]. It's happened in two years. And that kind of shows you, I guess, why maybe the US have freaked out and implemented protectionist policies to try and protect their own car market. The amount of momentum coming out of China is extraordinary. And the build quality, I wouldn't say is taking people by surprise. But I know historically in New Zealand when we have new brands come to market...way back with the Japanese brands or Korean brands, at first you're kind of like, 'I don't know about this.' And then eventually they become normalised. They just become another brand that's part of the story," Foster says."I keep a running tally all the time of the 10 cheapest EVs in New Zealand, and then I get an average from that and that gives me an indication of where we're at. Those are all Chinese vehicles."From a personal perspective Foster enjoys his EV being a part of energy self sufficiency, or sovereignty."That's something that I find quite profound. Since I got the solar panels on the roof I feel like I'm in science fiction...I've actually got the sun's rays going into my house's power and then into a battery in my car and I drive it. Compared to drilling oil, refining it, putting it on a ship, sending it over, driving it down..."In the podcast Foster also talks about the reasons for the dramatic drop in EV uptake in NZ this year, the popular models and brands, prices including in the secondhand market, battery range, home and public charging, insurance and repairs, other EVs beyond cars such as utes, vans and heavy transport, hybrids and hydrogen vehicles, his expectations for NZ's future vehicle fleet and how electricity supply will cope.*You can find all episodes of the Of Interest podcast here.

The Transport Agency is urging electric vehicle owners to pay their road user charges by Friday, or risk getting fined. Waka Kotahi NZTA's head of regulatory programmes Tara MacMillan spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

As lawmakers in the Legislature continue negotiations for the state's Fiscal Year 2025 budget, one addition specific to transportation involves a $5 million appropriation for a pilot program to assess replacing traditional fuel taxes with a mileage-based road usage fee.This week's Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features another conversation with Baruch Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy for the Reason Foundation. Feigenbaum has done extensive study on the need for long-term changes to funding policy for roads and bridges. He's also testified before legislative committees at the federal level and in several states.He recently told Michigan lawmakers that a fuel tax is akin to “a rock star on his farewell tour” as increased fuel efficiency diminishes returns on fuel taxes.

The cost of driving an electric vehicle has jumped this month - but are they still an affordable option? Morning Report producer Emma Ricketts reports.

The Government's flicking the off switch on EV owners. From today, road user charges will have to be paid for light electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Bringing EVs in line with other vehicles has been a priority for this government, but little else in the plans so far have suggested what their strategy is for the environment and climate change. Today on The Front Page, Newstalk ZB political and climate reporter Demelza Jackson joins to discuss if this government is making the right moves for the planet's future. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsSound Engineer: Paddy FoxProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Less money in the wallets of EV owners, but more money in the budget for fixing our roads. Owners of EVs and plug-in hybrids are no longer exempt from road user charges. From today, EV owners will need to pay $76 per 1000 kilometres, while plug-in hybrids will need to pay $38. AA's Principal Policy Advisor for Motoring Affairs Terry Collins says the change has been a long time coming. "The current Government discontinued the previous Government's announcement, so there's been plenty of indication that this was going to happen." Collins says the money will go straight towards building roads and repairing potholes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.    Common sense: 7/10  You can't beat a good dose of it - the Kainga Ora crackdown, part of a growing trend where a lot of ideological gobbledygook gets put right. And you can add the vape decisions to this week's offerings      The plug-in hybrid back down: 6/10  When you overreach you see it and fix it. That's almost as good as common sense.    Conspiracy theories: 2/10  The blight of the age. I can't work it out. Even when you saw the video at Windsor people still questioned it. Is it stupidity? It's wilful stupidity, mesmerising stupidity, mixed with a next level gormlessness.    Winston Peters: 7/10  He got exactly what he wanted. Surely even he must be surprised that a trick that old still works.    The recession: 2/10  The second one now. That's called a double dip recession and brought to you by the same people that oversaw the aforementioned crime stats.    The French: 7/10  First in the world to pass laws around fast fashion. I doubt they will work but the intent deserves credit.    Ryan Fox: 8/10  Tournaments, prize money and trophies come and go. But a hole in one on the greatest hole in golf is forever.    LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to road user charges for EVs are being welcomed.  The Government's officially confirmed owners of plug-in hybrid vehicles will now pay $38 per thousand kilometres, a reduction from the planned $53 policy.  The change comes after the Government accidentally backed an amendment from the Labour Party.  Motor Industry Association Chief Executive Aimee Wiley told Mike Hosking that the reduction makes it more equitable.  She says every motorist has a responsibility to contribute to the roading cost but we have to make sure they pay their fair share.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Transport Minister says changes to road user charges for plug-in hybrids are about finding a balance. Owners will pay $38 per 1000 kilometres- down from a proposed 53. The amendment put forward by Labour was accidentally agreed to by governing MPs in a mix-up during the select committee stage. Minister Simeon Brown says this change recognises that hybrids can run on a battery, or on petrol. "The reality is, this is a tricky issue. There are a range of particularly older plug-in hybrids, which do consume a lot of petrol- and so they would be paying even more." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Road user charges are in for a shake-up after an accidental Government U-turn.  Owners of plug-in hybrids will pay $38 per thousand kilometres, a reduction from the planned $53.  The Government accidentally supported a Labour amendment on the matter.  AA spokesperson Terry Collins told Mike Hosking that the clean car discount was working last year so we'll have to wait and see what happens when it gets shut down.  He suspects there'll be a pause in the market.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour appeared on Breakfast this morning to explain why School Lunches and a "marketing stunt" as he claimed prior to the election and why they should go Nicola Willis spoke this morning many many times on how the #NACTNZ government is not raising excise fuel tax this cycle, but didn't really seem to have a cogent argument as to where all the other charges and taxes are coming from The Greens have called bootcamps, which are due to be trialled by June, 'Reckless, heinous and lazy'. We'll investigate ================================================ Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠ Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter. @patbrittenden @Chewie_NZ

The owners of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are looking into removing the electric plugs, to avoid the Government's new road user charges. One owner in rural Marlborough says if he doesn't, it won't be financially viable to run his car. The government's coalition agreement has one solution to even the playing field, but there's no indication of when it will happen. Climate Change Correspondent Eloise Gibson reports.

Plug-in hybrid owners look to be trying to swerve new Government Road User Charges. The exemption for electric vehicles ends from April, and light EV owners will pay $76 for every 1000 kilometres travelled. Owners of plug-in hybrids will pay $53, because they also pay tax on fuel. One plug-in owner, Peter Garlick, says he wants to remove its electric plug to avoid paying double taxes. "So, an about 120 kilometre round trip into Nelson- I get 15 of those Ks off the mains power, and the other 105 kilometres I'm using petrol. And I'm paying more road user taxes on that petrol already." LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Uber driver who's gone electric says he's happy to pay road user charges, but if the govenrment wants to keep driving people toward cleaner greener options, it's got to carve the costs up fairly. From April, light electric vehicles that have previously been exempt from road user charges will have to pay. The cost is 76 dollars per thousand kilometres. By comparison, a much heavier diesel truck weighing between three and half thousand and 6000 kilograms currently pays 82 dollars every thousand kilometres. The Transport Minister says the new charges are about fairness and equity and will ensure all road users are contributing to road maintenance. Wellington electric Uber driver, Phirum Koy speaks to Lisa Owen.

The government has announced electric vehicle owners will now pay road user charges, costing drivers 76 dollars for every thousand kilometres. The charges will begin from April the first. That is despite Waka Kotahi documents released to RNZ under the Official Information Act last year, forecasting an increase in non-compliance and debt for customers. Transport Minister Simeon Brown spoke to Charlotte Cook.

The government has announced EV and plug-in hybrid car owners will now pay road user charges starting on the first of April. Transport minister Simeon Brown says it's a transition towards 'fairness and equity'. But there are concerns among the EV industry that paying road user charges and the scrapping of the clean car discount will provide a road-block to EV ownership for many. Kirsten Corson, chair of industry group Drive Electric, spoke to Charlotte Cook.

A warning to the Government from one EV leader: if the Government doesn't put measures in place, the clean car market will slow right down.  It comes as the Government has confirmed that owners of EVs and Plug-in Hybrids will pay road user charges from April.  Drive Electric Chair Kirsten Corson told Tim Dower that the move will slow EV uptake —which is disappointing— and will have flow-on effects for New Zealand meeting its climate goals.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For an outfit that doesn't like red tape, the National Party seems to be having some sort of brain explosion.  Because it doesn't just want EV owners to pay road user charges - which I don't think anyone would disagree with - it also wants to go the whole hog and get rid of fuel taxes completely and make everyone pay road user charges.  So, at the moment, if you drive a petrol vehicle, you pay your bit for building and maintaining roads through a fuel excise tax. Which is simple as, because - being a tax - you pay it every time you go and fill the tank.  But National wants to turn all that on its head. It wants to get rid of the fuel taxes and make everybody do what people with diesel vehicles do right now. Which is, pay road user charges ahead of time - based on kilometres.  And then, when they've travelled all the kilometres they've paid for, they have to go and pay for more kilometres.  Which is why diesel is, technically, cheaper at the pump. Because the fuel tax isn't applied to diesel because not all diesel vehicles actually travel on the road.  For example, you might have a diesel-powered digger which never goes on the road. So it would be unfair to make the digger owner pay a tax to raise money for road building and maintenance when the digger is never actually used on a road.  The argument National's making for everyone paying road user charges, is that it doesn't think it's fair that people with petrol vehicles pay varying amounts of tax for building and maintaining roads, regardless of how much they use them.  Which is an interesting argument, because you might assume that how much fuel you buy is dependent on how much driving you do.  But National reckons it would be fairer for everyone to pay based on distance - or how much they use our roads - instead of a flat tax rate per litre of fuel.  National acknowledges that a fuel tax is the simplest way of collecting revenue, but reckons it could have the new system up-and-running in its first term of government. It's also making noises about more tolls on roads and congestion charges.  Which I think is pretty ambitious, given that Waka Kotahi is already saying that it's going to be a struggle coping with increased road user charges for EVs.  Documents released under the Official Information Act show that Waka Kotahi expects to be dealing with an increase in what it calls “non-compliance and debt” when EV owners have to start paying road user charges.  The documents say: “There will not be enough resource to cope with the increase in education, engagement and enforcement needed.”  So, if they reckon they're going to struggle with the EVs, how on earth would they cope with every Tom, Dick and Harry being expected to pay road user charges?  Because the great thing about fuel taxes, is that even the crims pay them.   And what about those renegade boy racers who rack up thousands of dollars of speeding fines? Do you really think they're going to go all legit and make sure they're up-to-date with the road user charges? They can't avoid the fuel tax. But do you really think they're going to worry about road user charges?   And what about all those muppets who are quite happy to drive around in cars with no warrants of fitness? If they can't be bothered about getting a warrant and are quite happy to run the risk of getting a fine for that, are they really going to bother with road user charges? Of course not.   Which is why I think National is dreaming on this one.   Yes, I get the theory that it might very well be fairer to charge people based on how much they actually use the roads. But, as far as I'm concerned, this is an area where theory is trumped by reality. And why we would want to do away with the very simple and straightforward system we have now?  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've also got an election coming up in five weeks, haven't we? So it was another weekend and another presentation of party policies coming thick and fast, wasn't it?   Health targets from National, the scrapping of building consents from ACT, our ocean policy from the Greens, disagreements between National and ACT and Labour when it comes to the impending shake-up of our scientific research sector, and the proposal to introduce road user charges on all cars from National.  Let's start with the road user charges. National will make electric vehicles subject to road user charges after March and funding for roads will eventually be obtained through pay per kilometre charges.   At present, light EVs are exempt from road user charges until the 31st of March 2024, although there are murmurings from this Government that they may extend that exemption again. No hard and fast rules.   Under National, there would be no extension to the exemption, and EVs would have to pay similarly to diesel vehicles, which have to purchase road user charges based on the number of kilometres they travel.   As things stand, this would see owners begin to be charged $76 per 1000 kilometres, to add to the $2 billion in road user charges raised from other motorists, mostly truckers and diesel car owners.   The suggestion to that all vehicles will eventually roll out to road user charges and will get rid of the fuel excise tax.    However, recent stories in the media say officials have been investigating what to do next as they struggled to modernise the regulatory system and how they deal with problems like compliance. A May 2023 Waka Kotahi document said ‘I see trouble'.    What are we going to do when people just say I'm not going to pay? They said there'll be an increase of non-compliance and debt for customers entering the road user charge system.   Current resources they say are set up to manage the existing RUC system. There will not be enough resources to cope with the increase in education, engagement and enforcement needed. Basically, it's enforcement.   Surely every idiot knows that when they say right you have to buy kilometres to drive your car, that's what you have to do. It's not rocket science.   They're not asking you to explain how an electric engine works. They're simply saying if you want to drive on the road, you have to buy kilometres. So it's the enforcement really that will be the issue.  Another document said a work program to look at the entire RUC system had been set up to bring together strategy and improvements.   Key strategic choices about road user charges are inherently linked to long-term revenue challenges including non-compliance and debt management. Basically what they're saying is that they're worried that the road user charges won't bring in as much dosh as the fuel tax does. Change would have to involve the Ministry of Transport, Treasury and police, it said.  So those are their concerns. We move to road user charges, people won't buy them. They'll stick two fingers up. They'll say okay, you find me?   You find me and charge me. The Nat's say moving away from fuel excise and road user charges is a fairer way to charge for road use.   As New Zealand has more and more electric vehicles and hybrids on the road, there's less of a contribution being made through the form of excise, despite those cars using the very same roads. So, what is fair and what is not?   I know we get a lot of people who are grumpy, that EVs are not paying their way. They're heavy. Wear and tear on the roads is caused just as much by electric vehicles as it is by your normal combustion engine.   More and more of them are on the roads, which means less fuel tax going into the coffers to help pay for the roads.   Are the Nat's right? Should we all be moving to road user charges? Is that the fairest way to ensure that those who use, pay? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FIRST WITH YESTERDAY'S NEWS (highlights from Monday on Newstalk ZB) Hey, the ABs Were Really Bad. Don't Ignore That/Kick 'Em Out - But Not Near Me/How to Pay for RoadsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions around the National Party's plan for Road User Charges.   It's looking to extend road user charges to all vehicles if elected, including electric vehicles.    Motor Industry Association chief executive Aimee Wiley says it's not clear exactly how it will be rolled out.   She told Mike Hosking there are clear benefits to a fuel tax which aren't present with this new model.  “It's a complicated problem because charging a fuel excise duty per litre is almost a foolproof system. It doesn't need enforcement or monitoring.”  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's road user charges expansion won't be accomplished right away.   It's proposing adding them to every vehicle including electric ones.   Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says they want it as a switch away from fuel excise taxes, so people don't have to pay both at once.   He told Kerre Woodham it will take a bit of time to get it exactly right.  “There's obviously a lot of work that will need to be done around the details to ensure that can be done in an efficient manner.”  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Documents show the government expects problems ahead over road user charges on electric vehicles. The documents talk about an "e-RUC" for EVs, about debt and growing numbers not paying. But mostly the officials are tight lipped and refuse to tell the public what advice they are giving, though the changes are looming. Phil Pennington is looking into this spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Regular Talking Michigan Transportation podcast contributor Lloyd Brown joins this week's conversation to talk about a number of topics in the news. Brown is formerly the director of communications for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and now a Phoenix-based senior strategic communications consultant for HDR, Inc. Among topics discussed: ·       Road user charges.  A simulation in the state of Washington featured 70 percent of 1,000 drivers participating saying they were satisfied with the process. Not surprisingly, some drivers expressed privacy concerns.·       E-bikes.  As they grow in popularity, there are increasingly unnerving reports of electric bike battery fires. Are cheaper batteries to blame? Could higher production quality bikes be the answer? A TechCrunch story explains the issue and some of the root causes. Brown talks about a future where electric vehicle repair and battery replacement become commonplace. ·       Slower driving in Chicago. A recent report from Streetlight Data ranked large U.S. cities by speeds driven on major pedestrian roadways. More than 60 percent of Chicago's major pedestrian roadways have average vehicle speeds under 25 mph. The national average is 36 percent. Also discussed, an inspiring story from Alaska where students in the community of Angoon built and launched a dugout canoe to honor their forebearers, recalling the havoc wreaked on the Tlingit peoples by the U.S. Navy in 1882; and an Axios story about how AI grabbed the South Park director's chair.

Disappointment at the idea of hiking fuel taxes. Treasury warns rising costs in the transport sector and a large loan granted to Waka Kotahi may mean an increase in Fuel Excise Duty and Road User Charges is needed. It says they may need to go up from July 1 next year. National Road Carriers Chief Executive Justin Tighe-Umbers told Mike Hosking first we need to spend on what's essential - and then fix the funding model. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a challenging time for transport funding. Treasury says Fuel Excise Duty or Road User Charges may need to go up in a year's time to manage pressures on the National Land Transport Fund and a loan granted to Waka Kotahi. But, Transport Minister Michael Wood says he doesn't want to foreshadow Cabinet consideration of the upcoming transport budget. Transporting New Zealand Policy Advisor Billy Clemens told Tim Dower there are challenges with the user pays model. He says there's an increasing number of EVs on the roads that aren't paying Road User Charges and inflation of the cost to maintain roads. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disappointment at the idea of hiking fuel taxes. Treasury warns rising costs in the transport sector and a large loan granted to Waka Kotahi may mean an increase in Fuel Excise Duty and Road User Charges is needed. It says they may need to go up from July 1 next year. National Road Carriers Chief Executive Justin Tighe-Umbers told Mike Hosking first we need to spend on what's essential - and then fix the funding model. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a challenging time for transport funding. Treasury says Fuel Excise Duty or Road User Charges may need to go up in a year's time to manage pressures on the National Land Transport Fund and a loan granted to Waka Kotahi. But, Transport Minister Michael Wood says he doesn't want to foreshadow Cabinet consideration of the upcoming transport budget. Transporting New Zealand Policy Advisor Billy Clemens told Tim Dower there are challenges with the user pays model. He says there's an increasing number of EVs on the roads that aren't paying Road User Charges and inflation of the cost to maintain roads. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FIRST WITH YESTERDAY'S NEWS (highlights from Wednesday on Newstalk ZB) This Is an Emergency/Women Rule/EV Wallies/Cereal Hasn't Changed/Don't Talk Royals Around MeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is neither ruling in nor out an increase in fuel taxes as it works on a new transport strategy. The plan, which will go out for consultation this year, promises a pivot towards public transport and away from emissions-intensive investments like highways. It could mean swapping car parks for new bus lanes and cycleways. Transport Minister Michael Wood told Mike Hosking that they're yet to put out a draft document. He says governments in the past have put Road User Charges and Excise Duty taxes up, but they haven't decided that at this stage. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government's fuel subsidy comes to an end today, and there are warnings the cost of some goods could rise. Transport companies are estimating everyday goods could rise, with one source in the meat industry suggesting it could be by 4 to 5 percent, as the cost of freight increases. In April last year, the government introduced a Transport Support Package in response to a growing global energy crisis. The relief package included a 25 cents a litre cut to Fuel Excise Duty, and a 36 percent discount for Road User Charges. Half price fares on public transport will still continue until 31 March 2023. Kathryn speaks with Countdown's director of New Zealand supply chains, Arjern Ramnarayan and Chris Carr, the director of transporting company Carr and Haslam.

Transport costs are set to increase in the coming months and that could push up the price of almost everything else. Discounts to public transport, fuel taxes, and road user charges will end next Tuesday. Road user charges are set to increase by 36-percent. Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett says that will mean a 45 tonne truck and trailer travelling 100-thousand-kilometres a year will pay an extra 21-thousand-dollars. He says that's going directly hit the pocket of consumers, because trucks carry about 93 percent of freight. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced the end is near for the discounts it announced as part of its cost-of-living-crisis package earlier this year.   The 25 cent fuel discount has been extended - but only just and it'll be phased out by the end of March. Half price public transport will also be gone at the end March - except for those with a Community Services Card.  And say goodbye to the Road User Charges discount - that'll be scrapped on January 31.  So how will it affect Kiwis? Particularly Kiwis who earn their living on the road?  Chief executive of Transporting New Zealand Nick Leggett told Lloyd Burr 93 percent of New Zealand's freight travels on the back of a truck, so come February 1, Kiwis are going to see an increase in everything that travels on a truck.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Figures out today are expected to show the annual inflation rate is nudging above 7 percent for the first time since 1990. In response the Government is extending half-price fares on public transport and cuts to the fuel tax and Road User Charges until early next year. Some warn it's a lot of money to spend on a policy that's not targeted at those who need help the most. Rosie Gordon reports

AA's Principal Policy Advisor Terry Collins and Green Party Spokesperson for transport Julie-Anne Genter share their thoughts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AA's Principal Policy Advisor Terry Collins and Green Party Spokesperson for transport Julie-Anne Genter share their thoughts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The accelerating transition to electric vehicles brings new urgency to discussions about how to replace fuel taxes with other broad-based, reliable sources of transportation revenue. From Wyoming to Delaware to California, more and more state legislatures are considering mileage fees, regions like the San Francisco Bay Area are considering expanded tolling, and New York City is within reach of adopting a congestion pricing proposal. Overlaying these discussions is a persistent call to consider the equity of any new charges on drivers. How will the charges impact low-income drivers? Does payment require access to banking tools that are not universally available? This event will explore proposals, including fee rates that vary by driver income, vehicle characteristics, or time and place, and equity-centered policies for responding to nonpayment of tolls or other fees. NOTES This program is supported by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University. SPEAKERS Featured Speaker: U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio Member, U.S. House of Representatives (D-MA); Chair, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for the 117th Congress Fireside Chat with Karen Philbrick Ph.D., Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute Keynote Speaker: Polly Trottenberg Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation Q&A Moderator: Jeff Morales Managing Principal, InfraStrategies, LLC Asha Weinstein Agrawal Ph.D., Director, MTI National Transportation Finance Center James Corless Executive Director, Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) Reema Griffith Executive Director, Washington State Transportation Commission Hasan Ikhrata Executive Director, San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Stephanie Wiggins Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro)—Moderator In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on June 3rd, 2022 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tangi Utikere is MP for Palmerston North. He joins us to discuss his Local Government (Pecuniary Interests Register) amendment bill passing it's second reading, the new Countdown in Awapuni and changes to Road User Charges. We also talk public transport and government investment, Fair Pay Agreements and how he'll be spending the first Matariki as a recognised public holiday this year.

In Australia they are talking about abolishing fuel excise taxes and introducing Road User Charges for all.The viability of excise as a source of ongoing revenue is being questioned with more fuel-efficient cars and the rise of electric vehicles.Simon Barnett and James Daniels spoke with the AA's Fuel Tax spokesperson Terry Collins.LISTEN ABOVE

The transport industry wants clarity over road user charges reduction.  The Government last week announced a 25 cents cut on fuel excise and road user charges and that it would halve public transport fares, to mitigate rising petrol costs.  Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett told Andrew Dickens they're still waiting for certainty on when the road user charge will be reduced. “It is classic, unfortunately, of an announcement without the policy work being done, and we see that quite often.” LISTEN ABOVE 

While the Government's announced immediate cuts at the fuel pump, the picture's not completely clear for truck drivers and diesel motorists. Road User Charges are also being reduced - but how that happens for the complex levy is still being worked out. Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett says whatever happens, it will be relief for truckies. He spoke to Māni Dunlop.