The Government is seeking input from the technology, finance, telecommunications and retail industries as it moves toward a nationwide electronic road user charges system for light vehicles.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said consultation had opened on proposed regulations supporting the Land Transport (Revenue) Amendment Bill, which aims to replace petrol tax with a user-pays model based on distance travelled and vehicle weight.
The reforms are designed to prepare for a future where fuel-efficient and hybrid vehicles contribute less through fuel excise despite continued road use.
Under the proposed framework, approved providers would be able to offer electronic distance recording, flexible payment methods such as subscriptions and post-payment billing, and other digital services.
The consultation also covers provider oversight, eligibility requirements and privacy protections, with the Government stressing that any new technology would need to comply with New Zealand privacy laws.
Bishop said the goal was to create a simpler and more modern transport funding system while encouraging innovation from both local and international companies.
Image credit: George Dagerotip
Are we not already taxed to death.
The New Zealand Company church government is seeking input from its subsidiary NGO companies in technology, finance, telecommunications and retail industries as it moves toward a nationwide electronic road user charges system for light vehicles. Won’t be a consultation, it will be a directive, another tax collecting objective.