Petrol prices ‘resented’

Press, 26 October 1982, Page 28

Petrol prices ‘resented’

PA Wellington South Islanders "bitterly resented" paying high petrol prices when alternative fuels were unavailable to them, the Labour member of Parliament for Timaru, Sir Basil Arthur, told Parliament: Speaking during discussion on the Energy vote in the Estimates debate. Sir Basil called for a differential pricing system for petrol "in the interests of equity and justice" until alternative fuels, were available. The tax on motor spirits was 16.9 c a litre, he said. It was the Government's stated policy to keep a high petrol tax to encourage the use of alternative fuels. There was no justice in the Governments saying that South Island motorists had to pay a high price for petrol when they had no alternative. said Sir Basil. "Everyone knows C.N.G. will never be available in the South Island." he said. It was pointless for the Government to be encouraging people to change to something that was not available to them. I