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https://theconversation.com/axing-the-auckland-fuel-tax-reveals-the-lack-of-a-real-transport-plan-for-nzs-biggest-city-223429>
"The government’s recent announcement that it would bring forward legislation
to end the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax (ARFT) in June – four years early – is
the third time in 30 years a National-led government has repealed such a tax.
Pulling the plug seems less about the cost of living or misuse of tax revenue
than simply sweeping clear the previous administration’s legislation. Transport
policies, plans and projects have fallen at an astonishing speed since the
coalition government was formed.
One of its first acts was to cancel the clean car discount that helped create a
market for electric vehicles by subsidising their cost. Unsurprisingly, sales
of EVs took a plunge in January. At the same time, a higher registration fee
for “high-emitting vehicles”, dubbed the “ute tax”, was abandoned.
As the new government took office, transport agency Waka Kotahi quickly
announced a freeze on cycling, walking and public transport projects. Road
projects seem unaffected.
Other car-centric policies include plans to roll back hard-won speed limit
reductions, cancel light rail projects in Wellington and Auckland, and nix a
second multimodal Auckland harbour crossing.
Transport minister Simeon Brown recently doubled down on this when he announced
that any additional harbour crossing would be for the exclusive use of vehicles
– directly excluding consideration of cycling, walking and rail.
Missing in all this is a clear vision of what will replace all the lost
policies."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
