Scott AlastairALASTAIR SCOTT (National—Wairarapa): Thank you very much Madam—Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. I have given the amendment to the Clerk. At what point does it become tabled?CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): It's actually not part of Part 2 debate.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Not what sorry?CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): It's not part of the Part 2 debate—it is not part of the Part 2 debate. We may come to that but not just at this point.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Can I take it back and make it Part 3?CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Ha! Not just yet. We are just working on how this will impact on the debate going forward so—Hon Gerry Brownlee: No no—sorry I'm seeking genuine guidance. I think what I've said is a relevant point. It's simply—you have a bill that sets out all this stuff. I'm saying why can't that be displayed by the outlets? So do I need to write another part to the bill to be able to get that idea considered by the House?CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): I'm yet to determine whether this is within the scope of the bill.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well it would be good to know that before the committee stage finishes—CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Yes and you will.Hon Gerry Brownlee: —so that a new part can be entered. I'd only need to write new Part 3" on the piece of paper I believe.CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): I thank the member. You will know shortly. Thank you.ALASTAIR SCOTT: Thank you Madam Chair. I'd like to talk briefly about the effects of the increase in excise on petrol but particularly relating to rural New Zealand. Rural New Zealand is where people have to by the nature of where they live travel further than a commuter who might live in Wellington. Although the Prime Minister has ruled out increases in regional fuel taxes on her watch it's disappointing that this increase across the entire country has been initiated in this Budget. If the Prime Minister was true to her word to say there was going to be no regional fuel tax increases then why is this here? Why are we even talking about it here today? This is a regional fuel tax across all regions in New Zealand.Getting back to rural New Zealand this affects those people in rural communities who are generally on lower incomes. We know that the high-income electorates if you want to call them that for example—for the sake of argument—are in the cities and the poorer electorates are in the rural communities. I say that because the poorer people drive less efficient cars older cars. They burn more fuel per kilometre than someone who's in a new car. As the Minister of Transport quite rightly says the demand for fuel is inelastic so in a way no matter what the price does people will continue to consume the same amount of fuel. There is no choice of public transport in rural New Zealand. People have to get into their cars to go from A to B and because of the inelasticity in demand for fuel it is essentially a universal tax. Everyone will pay the same amount per litre per person and so it hits the lower-income people as described by Mr Bayly earlier—it hits them harder. It has a greater effect on them—more than those who have higher incomes.This Government says they are all about supporting those who are less well-off. Well this is a regressive tax. This tax hits rural New Zealanders harder hits lower-income people harder hits those who are on lower incomes harder and hits those people who have to travel to rugby practice. People in my electorate they travel for 40 minutes to go to rugby practice to netball practice and back. We've just had a boarding house closed in Wairarapa College. The Wairarapa College boarding house has just closed and what is that going to mean? It's going to mean people will have to travel more to go in and out from home to Masterton to get their kids to school because the boarding school has closed. So people in rural New Zealand will be affected to a greater extent than any other city electorate because of the distances and the requirement to use petrol.People in Wellington have an option. They can jump on a bus; they can walk or cycle but I tell you what: you don't want to be cycling on some of the bumpy roads around—and that's the other thing: we collect this money from those people who drive more than the city folk and where does the money go? It goes to Auckland. It doesn't go to rural New Zealand. The Te Marua to Masterton review continues. There's an incredible number of upgrades that should be for the safety—and that's what the Government talks about—of our commuters—CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Can we come back to the bill at hand. I have cautioned members on repetition. Thank you.ALASTAIR SCOTT: The point Madam Chair is—yes I take your point. My point there is that this increase in excise is going to affect the rural people much more than the city folk and that's why it is a very poor show from the Prime Minister when she says no more regional fuel taxes and here today we are talking about a regional fuel tax."