Rutherford TomTOM RUTHERFORD (National—Bay of Plenty): Thank you Madam Speaker. I've really enjoyed being a part of this debate from the first stage through the select committee process the second reading and now the third and final reading. But after listening to a couple of contributions particularly from the Greens I say to my colleagues what the RUC—what the RUC are they talking about? They are so out of touch and unaware of the process that this bill has actually focused on. The previous speaker Shanan Halbert spent almost his entire 10-minute call talking about climate change and this Government being climate change deniers. He didn't once talk about road user charges (RUC) and actually talk about what we're here to talk about. Why didn't he talk about it? Because he's got no idea what the bill actually is intended to do and to deliver on. So I say to that member what the RUC—what the RUC?Now members opposite have also been talking about how rushed they believe this process has been—how it went through the select committee process and was rushed. I say to members opposite they consulted on this in 2022 at a reduced plug-in hybrid rate of 20 percent but following consultation at that time did nothing about it. They consulted with the public of a reduced rate for plug-in hybrids at 20 percent and then did nothing. So let's take that walk down memory lane. They're now complaining that this process has been rushed yet they sat on their hands for nearly two years and did nothing to reduce the rate of plug-in hybrids in the road user charges. I will not take lectures from the previous Government when they consulted and then did not deliver. They regularly state that—and I quote—words matter". Well I'll tell you something: delivery matters—delivery matters. Words can only go so far but actually delivering on what you consulted on is what this side of the Government is focused on.So the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill is all about equity. It's all about user-pays and everybody contributing their fair share to the upkeep and maintenance of our roading network. I am fortunate to represent in the Bay of Plenty—beautiful electorate—wraps around the city of Tauranga. We have two vital State highway networks which are in dire need of an upgrade and it is only fair that the people using those roads pay the fair contribution to its upkeep and its maintenance. And that starts with electric vehicle owners and that starts with plug-in hybrid owners. If I think about State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Ranges that piece of infrastructure and roading will unlock 20000 new homes which our community so desperately needs and it is only fair that if you're an electric vehicle driver or you own a plug-in hybrid you pay your fair share to the upkeep and the maintenance of that road so that it can be delivered for our local Bay of Plenty community.The second road is the Takitimu North Link through Te Puna and Ōmokoroa. Stage one is under way but our Government is committed to delivering stage two of that project all the way through to Ōmokoroa—an extra 7 kilometres. It's only fair that if you're an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid owner and you want to use that road that you have made your fair contribution to its upkeep and its maintenance. It's not fair that you drive on those roads—DEPUTY SPEAKER: Don't overuse the word "you" please.TOM RUTHERFORD: My apologies Madam Speaker. It's not fair that if you are an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid owner that you haven't made a contribution to the road—Hon Dr Duncan Webb: "You"—you did it again. TOM RUTHERFORD: —that they are travelling on. Stopped myself—caught myself there. Thank you Mr Webb. So this bill is about equity. It's about ensuring the maintenance and upkeep of our roads in our community.Now let's just look at the process that was undertaken from the start to where we are now. Initially the previous Government consulted on 20 percent. When we then took it to select committee by our Government we were proposing a reduced rate of 30 percent for plug-in hybrids and we listened to the feedback that was received in the Transport and Infrastructure Committee. Overwhelmingly those submitters who both submitted in hardcopy and made email and online submissions and those who presented and gave oral submissions to the select committee said "I'm an EV owner I'm a plug-in hybrid owner and it's only fair that I make my own contribution to the upkeep and maintenance of the roads." What was the debating point was what should that rate be set at and many plug-in hybrid owners told us that "The 30 percent option that you're consulting on probably doesn't go far enough." So what we did as a select committee is we went "Fair enough. We need to relook at what has to take place in that area." That's why we came to the final decision of reducing it from our proposed $53 per 1000 kilometres to a very pragmatic reasonable consensus-driven proposal of $38 per 1000 kilometres because that's equitable that's fair.Now the member opposite—Julie Anne Genter—raises her hands in disgust. She's not supporting this bill and I simply say to her: what the RUC—what the RUC? Why don't you support this bill and get in behind it because it's all about equity and it's all about everybody paying their fair share.Now there's so much to talk about in this space but my 10-minute contribution is going to be coming up soon so I'm going to capitalise on my last few minutes. When this proposal was introduced by the previous National Government in 2009 it always had an asterisk next to it saying "This is only in place until the vehicle fleet in New Zealand of electric vehicles reaches 2 percent." Standing here today we have reached that target. So now we're just simply closing the loop on what was introduced in 2009 and saying "We've reached what we said we would do and now we're delivering on what we said we would do at that time." Transitioning EVs and plug-in hybrids is the first step in the National and ACT Party coalition agreement to bring all vehicles into the RUC system. The Minister of Transport has outlined his intention to outline how that will happen moving forward. I look forward to seeing that detail of work and I have no doubt that that will come through the hard-working and very diligent Transport and Infrastructure Committee as well. This transition is about fairness and equity: ensuring that all road users are contributing to the upkeep and maintenance of our roads irrespective of the type of vehicle they choose to drive. Hybrid vehicles do remain exempt from paying RUC as these vehicles are not powered by externally supplied electricity. Due to the small market share of very light EVs such as electric motorbikes and electric mopeds these vehicles will also remain exempt from paying RUC. I simply say to the House that this bill is about restoring equity. It is about user-pays and everybody contributing their fair share to the maintenance and upkeep or our roads and I commend this bill to the House.DEPUTY SPEAKER: This call is a split call."