Mike Bain/cvnznews.com
The Opportunity Party says New Zealanders struggling with high fuel prices deserve straight answers about how the country will pay for the transport system it needs, arguing that political promises to freeze fuel tax ignore the real costs involved.
Party leader Qiulae Wong said many households are under pressure. “People are hurting. Fuel is expensive, groceries are expensive, and household budgets are stretched,” she said.
Wong said the party’s proposed Citizens Income, funded by a Land Value Tax, is designed to give cost‑of‑living relief to around 70% of New Zealanders. She said Opportunity is open to working with other parties that have alternative ideas to achieve the same goal.
However, Wong warned that simply freezing fuel tax does not make the cost of roads, rail, and transport infrastructure disappear. “We have to stop kicking the can down the unfunded road,” she said. “There are always trade‑offs. Who pays and how? What won’t get built if we don’t raise the money?”
She also said New Zealand needs to prepare for a low‑carbon future. As fossil fuel use declines, fuel tax will become a less reliable source of revenue, meaning the country must rethink how it funds transport.
Wong criticised both National and Labour for focusing on what they will not do, rather than explaining how they plan to pay for future infrastructure. “Now they need to explain what they will do, what it will cost, and who will pay,” she said.
The Opportunity Party says its approach is about transparency and long‑term planning. “New Zealanders deserve that honest conversation, and that’s what they’ll get with Opportunity in Parliament,” Wong said.
