Written By:
- Date published:
7:21 pm, March 22nd, 2026 - 3 comments
Categories: national, nicola willis -
Tags: fuel crisis, Iran war, Israeli-USA-Iran war
As fossil fuel backed Atlas Network’s motto goes, never waste a good crisis, whether real or perceived. And it is in this vein that NZ’s Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today that one of her government’s top choices is to relax the rules around fuel categories allowed into the country.
Apparently, that’s code for altering sulfur constraints in diesel so they can import from the US, or in layman terms, poorer quality fuel that releases more pollution, is harder wearing on vehicles etc.
In the last two years, Chris Bishop and Simeon Brown already loosened and constricted clean car standards, including giving into auto industry lobbying to allow high pollutant cars to be dumped in NZ’s market.
Now instead of considering measures that other countries are taking, including work from home, public transport support, rules around fuel use, rations and fuel price monitoring, National’s first instinct is to pollute Aotearoa New Zealand more, keep up their GST intake, and continue to subsidise fossil fuels out of countries of the the USA
Vehicle charges (Road User Charges and Registration) should allow for emissions (measured at least once a year), unladen weight and for commercial vehicles, laden weight if above a fairly low limit, with a view to covering both pollution and road repair costs. Knowledge that this move further towards user pays will encourage caution about using dirty and heavy personal vehicles as well as charge commercial vehicles more fairly. Similarly rail should have similar charges as are relevant for the different track they follow. The Road Transport industry has had the ear of government for too long.
Wheeling out Willis for announcements does not seem to be working, she is less confused than Luxon, but no more believable.
Nicola Willis does not come across as sincere, she sometimes appears to be a little bit condescending.
MT re "higher pollutant fuel"…I had a disturbing thought on a dystopian future under the New Victorians NAct1 NZ. (please, we must kick them out)
Oil might be harder to get..but we have the other black gold..coal. A return to Steam: trains/ships/vehicles..belching black blotting out the sky.
Brrrr. Anyway…Ive seen elsewhere : Ditch the pricks in 26 …I like : )