Transport costs must be paid

Press, 8 March 1984, Page 9

Transport costs must be paid

The importance of all forms of transport paying their full costs was emphasised by the Associate Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister of Customs, Mr Allen, in an address to the southern section of the Chartered Institute of Transport. Mr Allen was unexpectedly called back to Wellington yesterday morning and so his lunchtime address was delivered instead by the member of Parliament for Fendalton, Mr P. R. Burdon. Mr Allen said that financial accountability was important so that shippers making a decision between competing forms of transport could make a decision reflecting the costs of thenchoice to the economy as a whole.

“Recently announced increases in the road-user charges merely redress in part the shortfall in the rates paid by heavy vehicles for their use of the. roads and represent the continuation of the user-pays reading policy that is now well established in New Zealand,” Mr Allen said. Changes in air-cargo movements would result from New Zealand exporters taking advantage of the improved access to Australia, Mr Allen said.

Increased facilities at Christchurch Airport would cope with these trade volumes, he said.

Benefits to the nation as a whole would arise from a change of focus from the North Island to Australian markets, and not just to the companies concerned.