Minister gives green light for road charging: Goff

Replacing the interim Auckland transport levy with a different form of charging for road users has been given the green light by the transport minister according to mayoral candidate Phil Goff.

During the televised Auckland mayoral debate hosted by On the Nation’s Lisa Owen on Sunday, August 14, Goff told the assembled panelists that one part of a infrastructure discussion that he had with Simon Bridges was about something like a regional petrol tax, and the minister indicated far more flexibility about introducing that than past governments.   

“So you got the green light as far as you were concerned?” asked Owen.

“I would call it that, yes,” answered Goff.

Amongst the debate with mayoral candidates John Palino, Victoria Crone, and Mark Thomas which was sparked by that particular comment, Goff told them that a congestion charge is some years off.

“That’s why you have to bring a petrol tax in first,” he says.

When told by fellow mayoral candidate Mark Thomas that incumbent Auckland Mayor Len Brown struggled to get a regional petrol tax off the ground after much groundwork, Goff replied that time had moved on, and he was confident he could get such a concept across the line.

“I’m confident because the Government has received a Treasury report that says unless they do this, Auckland can’t meet its infrastructure needs,” says Goff.

“The Minister of Finance knows that we lose $3 billion a year in Auckland because of congestion. And we spend that money and get nothing to show for it,” he says.