English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:649;Page:17996] 
10.  
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Deputy Leader—National) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Transport 
: Does she stand by her statement that the vehicle fuel economy standard is an important initiative to assist the Government in achieving its transport strategy goals its Energy Strategy goals and its climate change goals? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Associate Minister of Transport) 
: 
 Yes and I would note that that is also National’s  
A Bluegreen Vision for New Zealand 
 discussion document policy. Mr English may not have realised this as he is new to the transport portfolio but the policy discussion paper that he is so excited about  
Improving the fuel economy of vehicles entering the New Zealand fleet: A discussion paper for public comment 
 was published in January 2008. 
Hon Bill English 
: Can the Associate Minister confirm that Labour’s car tax next year will add a tax of $900 to a Honda Accord a tax of $4650 to a Toyota Hiace and a tax of $10200 to a Holden Commodore so that by 2015 that family car will be bearing a tax of $16800; and does that show any concern for the cost to motorists? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: No. Ministers do not favour and have never favoured the option that Mr English is focusing on—to place a fee on inefficient vehicles. That is National Party policy as stated on page 5 of  
A Bluegreen Vision for New Zealand 
 where National states: “Providing incentives for more fuel-efficient imported vehicles financed through penalties for inefficient vehicles”. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Can the Associate Minister confirm that the penalty for inefficient vehicles as proposed by the Business Council for Sustainable Development and referred to in  
A Bluegreen Vision for New Zealand 
:  
Discussion paper by Hon Dr Nick Smith MP 
 was $2000 per vehicle? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: Yes. 
Hon Bill English 
: Is the Associate Minister of Transport pleased that the Labour Government has put so much faith in her that throughout the election campaign she will be justifying to New Zealanders taxes of up to $10000 on family vehicles? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: At no stage has any Minister proposed that. Bill English cannot hide National’s embarrassment about proposing a toll of $60 a week on every Aucklander for its supposed roading project. That is what he will have to justify during the election campaign. 
Hon Bill English 
: Can the Associate Minister tell us why if no Minister has proposed a tax of $16000 on a Holden Commodore she signed the foreword of the document that laid out these proposals which claims that this proposal was critical not just to the carbon reduction strategy but also to the Energy Strategy and a number of other strategies that apparently the Government wants to execute? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: The rest of the world is introducing rules to improve the efficiency of cars entering fleets. If New Zealand is not careful we will end up being the dumping ground for dross that is no longer acceptable in most other countries. This Government is trying to save money for New Zealanders at the petrol pump and to make sure we have clean air to breathe. What is wrong with that? 
Lesley Soper 
: Has she seen any reports of flip-flops on vehicle efficiency policy? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: Yes. Bill English has proposed a policy that would introduce a $2000 penalty on inefficient new cars as announced on page 5 of National’s  
A Bluegreen Vision for New Zealand 
 which was released in October 2006. National described the introduction of financial penalties as “common sense” and “practical measures that New Zealand could be taking”. I compare that statement with Bill English’s behaviour yesterday when he claimed that the Government had approved a stealth tax when we had done no such thing. National is being two-faced. It is becoming a complete pantomime every day. I feel sorry for John Key who has found out that as Brian Rudman says when teaching old dogs new tricks playing dead should be one of them. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Those final comments were unnecessary. 
Hon Bill English 
: Would the Associate Minister promise to actively campaign in Auckland Central so that we can win it and will that campaign— 
Hon Harry Duynhoven 
: There’s no need for that nonsense either Bill. 
Hon Bill English 
: Eh? Does the Minister— 
Hon Harry Duynhoven 
: You complain readily enough when flippant questions are asked so why do you go and ask stupid ones yourself? 
Hon Bill English 
: Just because Harry’s now polling behind someone we put up 6 weeks ago! I say to him that he is going to be well up the list; he should not worry—it will be fine. Does the Associate Minister intend to carry out the Prime Minister’s wish to make sustainability the core of Labour’s election campaign and is it her intention to do a pamphlet drop to every household in New Zealand to advertise Labour’s plans to impose taxes of over $10000 on family vehicles; and is that the kind of strategy she expects is going to win her Auckland Central? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: The discussion paper that was released by the Government which believes in open debate called  
Improving the fuel economy of vehicles entering the New Zealand fleet 
 
had submissions made on it that indicated that no one thinks the status quo is an option. If the National Party wants to campaign on inefficient vehicles that cost New Zealanders fuel and time and air quality then it should campaign on that. I am serious about indicating to New Zealanders that increasing fuel economy means that they have options to buy vehicles that will save them money and save them from sickness and death. These options are about open government not hidden agendas. 
Hon Bill English 
: Can we take it from the Minister’s answer that Labour’s proposal to save motorists money is to put a $10000 tax on the cars? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: No. At no stage has any Minister suggested that or accepted that.