Brown Peter: Customs and Excise (Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Brown Peter: Customs and Excise (Motor Spirits) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:623;Page:18621] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I have to respond to the United Future member’s contribution because I thought he made a lot of sense. But I cannot understand why with his impassioned plea to cut tax and cut Government revenue he will vote for this bill. 
Gordon Copeland 
: I’m not the Government. 
PETER BROWN 
: He is not the Government but he will support it. Why is he supporting it? I have given up on United Future’s philosophy and principles. I do not think it understands its own philosophy and it seems to have lost its principles a long way down the route. 
I shall take the House back a few years to when the Government first became the Government in 1999. There was a senior Minister I think he was Deputy Prime Minister at the time who called himself the “Minister of Low Petrol Prices” and that was the Hon Jim Anderton. Do members remember him? Do they remember that? He was the “Minister of Low Petrol Prices” albeit self-appointed but boy did he brag about that title! He told all and sundry that that was who he was. What has happened since? We have had the highest petrol prices ever in the history of this country only a few weeks ago oil companies were announcing record profits and the Government takes from the petrol motorist more taxation than ever before. So I think the “Minister of Low Petrol Prices” was an abject failure. He got it totally wrong. He is supporting this bill and his colleagues are following that support. They are totally wrong. 
The Minister of Customs took an earlier call. I invite him to take another one now to answer the question I will put before him. I know the answer. Where will this regional tax be spent? Will there be any prohibitions on a particular region using that tax? For example can Tauranga use the regional tax that will be collected under this measure on the harbour bridge link? I can tell the Minister that the answer is no and that is a disgrace. The Government will impose 5.6c on every petrol motorist on the basis that the money will go to the regions for them to use it as they wish but it will say that those areas cannot use it on their No. 1 road priority if it is tollable. It will whack them for that too. That is—no I cannot say that. But I will say that that sort of stance is hypocritical to say the least. 
I know that the contractors in this country want certainty; they are making that clear by press statement and media report. So does the general public. So what is certain about this bill? When will it come in? When will it start? Nobody knows. Will we pull out a raffle ticket? I tell the Minister now that if he does not put in this measure before the next election then it will not occur because New Zealand First will have a presence in this Parliament far greater than it has now and we will not allow it to be proceeded with. The Minister should show some gumption and tell us that it will come in next week or the week after. If he waits until the election it is dead and buried—I can tell him that. New Zealand First will not have a bar of the petrol motorist being lumbered with another 5.6c. 
Jill Pettis 
: So how are you going to build the roads? 
PETER BROWN 
: How will I organise the roads? I shall tell you very very briefly but Gordon Copeland— 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Order! 
PETER BROWN 
: I am answering the question. I like questions from the Government. She’s showing some interest. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member is bringing me into the debate. 
PETER BROWN 
: People can go down any road in this country and see buildings most of which are mortgaged. Most of the vehicles on the road be they trucks or vehicles are either paid for by hire purchase or leased. In other words where it is possible where it is needed people borrow against future income. Over the next 10 years this Government will take—less this tax—something like $16 billion and an additional $7 billion that goes into the Crown account. That is $23 billion that if necessary we could borrow against. It is not borrow and spend; it is borrowing to get the roads moving. If the member took the trouble to read the Allen report—and it is written in simple English; I am certain the member could understand it. [ 
Interruption 
] She could not? It will tell her the economic advantages of borrowing to put the roads in place—to advance the roads. 
Why will the Government not say when this measure will come in or stipulate the criteria? What does the level of the oil price have to be?