The president of the Wanaka Motorcycle Club, Andi Delis,
with his 650cc Suzuki adventure motorbike, which is about
to get much more expensive to own. Photo by Marjorie Cook.
Outrage over a proposed increase in motorcycle levies has
prompted Wanaka Motorcycle Club members to write submissions in
opposition and email them to at least 180 politicians.
The call for action was made by club president Andi Delis, a
quantity surveyor who owns three motorcycles and expects to
pay $2200 per annum to register them under the proposal.
"My 650cc is worth only marginally more than that so I cannot
see how the running cost can be worth it anymore," he said.
Mr Delis has compiled a long email list of submission
recipients and circulated it among the club's 60 members.
He told club members last week that "without spamming
everyone's mail boxes, we need to take action".
The key people and organisations to receive the message were
the Accident Compensation Corporation, Prime Minister John
Key and the ACC Minister Nick Smith.
But Mr Delis has asked club members not to leave it to the
"main three . . . as they may not make it through. Take it to
our local Parliament members as well".
The increased levies would have serious consequences for
everybody so it was worth complaining, he said.
Mr Delis plans to write a separate club submission soon but
has already written a personal submission which says the
Government is "wrongly targeting the victims" of accidents,
rather than those who cause them.
"Most accidents are caused by car drivers on phones, not
looking properly or being complacent.
The boy racers are a far bigger problem and there is nothing
to penalise them in what they do, which is torment other road
users."
Mr Delis says riding motorcycles may become uneconomical,
leading to an increase in carbon footprints and traffic and
parking congestion.
He also says some riders might choose not to register their
motorbikes and view the risk of being ticketed as "a cheaper
option".
He is concerned about the impact on the motorcycle industry
and also says snowboarders, rugby players, skiers and people
who play other contact or dangerous sports are not being
asked to pay more in levies.
More older cars might also end up on the road, increasing
congestion, pollution and the potential for accidents, he
said.
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