Brown SimeonSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga): If it looks like a tax and it smells like a tax and it quacks like a tax it is a tax! That's what this bill is doing. The Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill is a car tax. It is about increasing costs on New Zealanders and that is what it is at its very essence. The Minister stands up and talks about what he thinks this bill is going to do. He even got to the point where he said it's progressive—it's progressive! Well I can tell you Minister it's actually regressive. It's actually going to send many New Zealanders backwards simply paying more for the vehicles that they need rather than actually helping them get into cleaner vehicles.The other thing this piece of legislation does is it gives absolute power to the Minister of Transport to dictate to the car industry what cars what subsidies what taxes what fees what charges. He has complete control. There is unlimited regulatory powers being transferred in this piece of legislation to the Minister of Transport. So he might want to stand up and talk to us about how this is going to improve the industry but actually he is the one who is actually getting all of those powers. Rather than working with the industry he is on a massive power grab with this piece of legislation. It is an ideological bill rather than actually a pragmatic and practical bill which will actually make a difference.There are so many concerns in this piece of legislation and the first point is around the increased costs because at its very essence what this piece of legislation will be doing is increasing the costs of buying a new vehicle for the vast majority of New Zealanders. This piece of legislation gives the Minister of Transport the ability to set fees or charges for vehicles in New Zealand. And he says Well OK I'm then going to subsidise these other vehicles to try and reduce emissions." But the reality is that people don't always have the choice and there are many New Zealanders who don't have the choice. We spoke about this at length in the committee stage. We spoke about this at length during the select committee. We talked about the realities of New Zealanders' lives and how actually at the moment there is not the ability for them to have a choice so that they can get a car which has a subsidy rather than one which they have to pay a tax.I think that is no better demonstrated than in the instance of our farmers and our tradies who have no ability but to pay the tax. The Motor Industry Association was very clear: this piece of legislation is going to be increasing the cost of vehicles by 15 to 20 percent in New Zealand. I just think it's incredible some of the misinformation which is getting peddled in this debate. In fact the Prime Minister went on the AM Show and said "Within the next 12 to 24 months we're hoping the likes of Toyota are talking about bringing in EV utes." Well only the next day Toyota had to come out and say "I'd like to reiterate we do not have any plans for a battery electric HiLux in our line-up in the next 18 to 24 months." And then they went on to say it is irresponsible to suggest that customers stop buying non - electric vehicles (EVs) immediately until there's an electric option available. The range and volumes of EVs needed to meet demand is simply not available and many customers still need a vehicle to transport their family or operate their business.So the very reality of this piece of legislation means that tens of thousands of New Zealanders [Interruption]—will simply have no choice. And I hear the members on the other side saying "Well why do they buy utes?" This is the arrogance the absolute arrogance of the members on that side where the Prime Minister even got up and said "Well they're all purchasing it for illegitimate purposes." That's right they are not purchasing those utes for the right purposes. And of course that's all the chardonnay socialists on the other side of the House who want to tell you and your family what type of vehicle you should drive and what you should be able to purchase. I just think that's frankly awful but that's this Government. They want to tell you how and what kind of vehicle you should be able to purchase.The reality as I said is that these new vehicles—in fact the new utes which are electric vehicles—will not be coming into the market. It says here—this is what the Motor Industry Association says—"Our expectation is plug-in hybrid utes … might become more widely available by 2025 and full battery electric utes … after that." So until then what's the choice for a farmer or a tradie? Pay the tax—pay the tax. That is essentially what this Government is saying to our hard-working farmers and tradies.Maureen Pugh: What's the answer?SIMEON BROWN: And what about what—well a very good point from Maureen Pugh. She knows a thing or two about farming. How are you going to drive your Tesla or your EV around the farm? It just doesn't work. The other point being raised on the other side is "Well we're talking about new vehicles." So now what we've got is a point here where the Government members are saying "Well just tell those farmers: hold on to your existing ute hold on to your existing ute until you can buy an EV." Yes well hold on to your existing ute until after 2025 and for instance if your used vehicle has already done 400000 kilometres and needs replacing—and by the way it emits a huge amount more than if you went and bought a new HiLux today—actually it's better to hold on to that.That comes to another problem with this piece of legislation. It isn't going to achieve the reduction in emissions which the Minister is wanting. What it is going to do is instead mean that New Zealanders hold on to their existing vehicles for longer or effectively they just pay the higher price particularly where they don't have a choice.Then that brings me to the last point which is actually that effectively it just provides a wealth transfer. The evidence is clear and the Minister talked about how many people have taken up the offer of the subsidies—well everyone loves a subsidy don't they? Everyone loves a subsidy—Hon Member: Except those who pay.SIMEON BROWN: Except for those who pay; that's correct. And in fact all those people who went out there and bought their new EV—that's the so-called success—well they were probably just waiting for this subsidy to come. So the numbers of course were going to increase because they were not going to purchase a vehicle until they could get the subsidy which the Government then brought in.But the reality is this is effectively a wealth transfer. Instead of this Government which I thought was about being egalitarian and trying to help those most in need it's about taking money from those who have no choices taking money from people whose actual choice of purchasing a new vehicle might actually be only within up to $10000 not to be able to purchase something like a new Tesla of $60000. And it's transferring the money from them to subsidise the person who can already afford to purchase a $50000 or $60000 vehicle. That's why this Government is actually the chardonnay socialist Government because they talk a big game about trying to lift people out of poverty and help those in need. But every single time it comes to actually implementing policy it is the very very opposite.What we actually need in this space to reduce emissions is we need pragmatic practical policies which actually make a difference. It's about working with the industry and working to make sure the standards and making sure that the reduction in emissions is actually something where they can actually meet the demand which is needed. We have to realise we're a very small market of new vehicles. Other countries have much more market and much more demand in terms of what they actually can require for their markets. So the reality is you have to work with the industry you have to invest in the network in terms of the charging networks something which National actually invested in. This Government talks a big game but at the end of the day all the ideas that they come up with ultimately end in a three-letter word which is "tax". National will not support this bill."