A sweeping overhaul of New Zealand’s road funding system is raising serious concerns about privacy and government surveillance, as critics say the proposed electronic road user charges (RUC) scheme could open the door to real-time vehicle tracking.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced Cabinet has approved legislative changes to begin transitioning New Zealand’s 3.5 million light vehicles away from petrol tax and towards a distance- and weight-based charging model. Under the plan, all vehicles—regardless of fuel type—will eventually pay RUC, similar to current requirements for diesel and electric vehicles.
Bishop hailed the shift as the biggest roading policy change in half a century, saying it would ensure fairness as more Kiwis adopt hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles that contribute less in petrol taxes per kilometre. The Government intends to support this transition by enabling the private sector to deliver “innovative, user-friendly” RUC solutions using electronic devices already built into modern vehicles.
However, critics are raising red flags over the potential for mass surveillance under the proposed system.
While the official release focuses on convenience—comparing future RUC payments to “a Netflix subscription”—detractors say the use of electronic tracking devices risks enabling continuous monitoring of vehicle location and movements.
Earlier government communications referenced the use of on-board electronic devices capable of transmitting real-time data on distance travelled. Critics now fear that private companies contracted to manage the system could gain access to live location data, forming part of a broader digital surveillance infrastructure.
“National will introduce blanket road user charges for everyone, removing the excise component from the fuel pump, and instead use private corporations to electronically monitor your car,” tweeted commentator Holyhekatuiteka on X. “This means real-time tracking of your vehicle’s location and distance, under the guise of fairer road funding.”
National will introduce blanket road user charges for everyone, removing the excise component from the fuel pump, and instead will use private corporations to electronically monitor your car. Bishop hasn’t clearly detailed how this will be done, but earlier releases suggest a… pic.twitter.com/tHATIT8g1f
— Holyhekatuiteka (@2ETEKA) August 6, 2025
Some opponents say the RUC plan fits into a wider digital agenda that includes digital IDs and AI-driven oversight of public services. They cite comments from Education Minister Erica Stanford about using AI to grade students as an example of creeping automation and surveillance in daily life.
The legislation to enable the system is expected to pass in 2026, with a full rollout likely by 2028—though no firm date has been set. The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and Police will upgrade enforcement systems to support digital compliance, with a full commercial market for RUC payment providers expected to open by 2027.
Privacy advocates are calling for greater transparency around what data will be collected, how it will be stored, and who will have access.
With plans moving forward at pace, critics warn that the convenience of modern payment systems must not come at the cost of basic civil liberties.
“Digital tracking, digital ID, and AI oversight are converging,” one commentator said. “New Zealanders should be asking: who’s really in the driver’s seat?”
Image credit: Mark Chan
Dystopia 1984, but with digital ID, digital credit, face recognition and exact location, all managed by AI.
But its all for your Health & Safety.
How can Kiwis inflict this on Kiwis?
Is there no sanity in Wellington?
No honour?
No morals?
How about NO.
This countries people need a slap. So much BS being set up, implented and in the pipeline.
What a coincidence in time for 2030
Larry Fink will be behind this,
and Theil
All part of the de-humanising, authoritarian agenda. Anyone voting for Labour or National and other mainstream parties, will see their basic human rights, such as the right to privacy, slowly ebb away.
Here is what’s happening in other parts of the world controlled by the same Zionist Deep State weenies…
https://rumble.com/v6uj0oj-the-agenda-their-vision-your-future-2025-full-documentary-4k.html
Want to know where trillions of black-budgeted money goes? (Ukraine & Israel aside…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bulc46BSzLc
Why everyone is leaving NZ…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zDNYLutgM8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICNr8LoTcDI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLnAcjVeKOQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flTEWPvFUHs
Leave us alone already. Jesus Christ
Good to see astute comments from the Daily Telegraph crowd.
I noticed Red Radio RNZ, who usually never miss an opportunity to dunk on National Party policies, have been quiet on this one. Left, Right, Left Right Left…
Left/right.
Two cheeks, same arse obviously.
More evil sinister behaviour from our government.
The technocratic global digital prison is steadily closing in it appears.
You vill own nothing, be happy and eat ze bugs yah?
Papers please.
Very very true they are coming for us all
With all due respect Chris Bishop is an evil turd.
Vote the bastard out at the next election.
How peculiar.
I don’t remember this being in the National Party manifesto at the last election.
I’d refer you to the WEF, IMF, UN, etc…..
Jeez!
Could these creepy nosey parker government assholes get any more dilated?
Rhetorical question.
Back to horse and cart then? Honestly so tired of these wankers in Wellington pushing this shit. Who gave you the mandate to do this Chris? What’s the old saying? You get the face you deserve at 50. No one voted for this Chris – who’s really your daddy?
Exactly 💯 %
The dystopian surveillance social credit fabian communitarianism nanny state has finally arrived.
Oh well, freedom was nice while it lasted.
Oh dear, oh dear! My digital tracking device just fell off in my driveway again.
I suspect this retarded surveillance idea will ultimately be impossible to implement.
Bishop is most likely just paying lip service to his corporate overlords in the hope he’ll be offered a cushy job after he’s kicked out at the next election..
he issue at hand isn’t just about how we fund our roads—it’s about how that funding is collected and what personal information is gathered in the process. While there’s a strong argument that distance-based road user charges are fairer than flat fees or fuel taxes, the current proposal to implement real-time electronic vehicle tracking introduces serious concerns around personal freedom and government overreach.
When the state—or even private providers—can monitor your vehicle’s movements in real time, it sets a dangerous precedent. It’s not hard to imagine how this kind of surveillance infrastructure could be expanded, misused, or simply poorly secured, exposing New Zealanders to risks far beyond road charges.
If we truly value freedom and privacy, we need to be cautious about normalising vehicle tracking as the price of using public roads. There are better ways forward. Systems based on non-tracking models—like odometer readings or semi-regular data uploads—can achieve fair, usage-based charging without handing over a digital map of our daily lives. These alternatives strike the right balance: funding our roads without turning them into tools of surveillance.
My car is 20 years old, and lacks all of the spyware that is on the new cars (ie Bluetooth, GPS trackers, etc.)
It is in good nick, constantly maintained, and I have no plans to replace it.
Telling me that I have to have an illegal transponder (which sends-out attuned 5G WiFi health hazard microwave signals in ‘real time’..) is a blatant violation of privacy, and exposes one to an EMF health hazard!
Hopefully, when the NZ Loyal Party wins seats in the next election, the 5G & 6G networks will be discontinued, 4G (non-microwave) reinstituted for mobile communication, and the fiber optic networks expanded.
https://davidicke.com/2020/02/27/5g-trojan-horse-documentary/
https://davidicke.com/2020/04/02/covid-19-5g-whats-connection-david-icke-dot-connector-videocast/
https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/look-at-what-5g-does-to-spring-water/
https://x.com/BGatesIsaPyscho/status/1922744395935174664
https://banned.video/watch?id=650e042976dd319a519f0fbd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCns4w3GA9A
3G is being shut down early next year. 4G will be discontinued soon after that. Thinking of going back to a landline over fibre. If they shut that down, you can always write to me at my PO box.
If your car does not have GPS, you will be forced to buy one and have it hardwired. i.e. on 24/7.
Not sure what they will do with a horse and cart. If they interview the horse and ask, “have you been walking on the road?” The answer will be “nay” smartly followed by a loud blow off.
No Way, if they actually used the exisiting fuel taxes for roading, (as stipulated on its creation) our roads would be paved with gold, not potholes and unsightly humps!
And chriss gets his seat at the wef table and the scum people can eat bugs .
Wishing him all the worse for next election.
And um, when did any of you parasites ever ask us the scummy public who you work for? They have No mandate
So knowing where every vehicle is in nz in real time talk about absolute evil talk about tracking wow, how many times do you go to the toilet and can we have a sample of that to make sure your not on drugs or eating to much meat , wow im so sick of this crap stealing freedoms this is wrong evil and chriss another over paid creap who is suposed to work for us ,and you did not ask us , you just bloody Dictating , your a bully your voted in to work for us,,to protect our rites to make life better, another nadty chriss whos a total sell total nob wef un boot licker its unbelievable what he is saying , you going to know exactly where we all are in real time… , ha , look out for racial profiles you know where this will take us ,its evil and must not happen . These people wont to knw every thing like oliver Anthony’s song says, rich men north of richmond.. rite here in nz ,, wow
Wake up nz these people ate closeing the net on us ALL.