The Act Party wants boat-users to be able to claim refunds on fuel taxes, majority of which are used for road and rail projects. Photo / Dean Purcell
The Act Party wants boat-users to be able to claim refunds on fuel taxes, majority of which are used for road and rail projects. Photo / Dean Purcell
The Act Party wants road taxes slashed from recreational marine fuel, with Auckland boaties forking out 95c in tax per litre the majority to fund road and rail projects.
Transport spokesperson Simon Court has launched a petition to scrap these "unfair" taxes, and allow recreational boat-users to claim them backlike other non-road fuel users.
The fuel excise tax is 83 cents per litre, including GST, and 95c in Auckland due to the regional fuel tax.
Court said the problem was most of that tax collected went into the National Land Transport Fund for road and rail projects.
Most fuel of the sold in New Zealand is used in motor vehicles on public roads. While many non-road users and commercial operators could claim this tax back, boat users could not.
Court, an Aucklander and a "boatie", said it was not fair.
"Act believes that Kiwi boaties deserve a fair go. They should have access to a simple web-based system to submit receipts and claim back the petrol tax used in boats, jet-skis and other watercraft.
"Unclaimed funds could then be used to ensure all existing water-safety programmes continue to be funded."
Act Party transport spokesperson Simon Court said the fuel tax was unfair on recreational boaties. Photo / Supplied
Court said an estimated $30 million was paid in fuel taxes by recreational boat users but only about $8m went to Maritime NZ for water safety initiatives.
In turn, Maritime NZ provides grants of approximately $880,000 to various councils, water sports organisations (such as Waka Ama and Paddle Boarding NZ).
"These grants are a token contribution compared with the petrol taxes paid by marine users," Court said.
"Other off-road users, including the commercial fishing, agriculture and construction sectors, are eligible for a refund, but recreational boaties miss out."
Court launched the petition this week at the Auckland boat show.
Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency has been approached for comment.
A Waka Kotahireview of fuel taxes in 2020 recommended against providing any refund for recreational boat users, largely because administration difficulties and that funding was provided to search and rescue and recreational boating safety activities.
"Providing a refund for fuel used in recreational boats would compromise this arrangement which benefits the recreational boating community," the review said.
There was also a "very wide variation" in estimates of boat numbers, from 160,000 to more than 500,000, which would make it difficult to "estimate the operational and administrative impact of implementing a new entitlement for fuel used in recreational boats".
