Jacinda Ardern is promising no new regional fuel taxes while she is Prime Minister and is accusing National Leader Simon Bridges of spreading "utterly, incorrect, false" information about a Wellington fuel tax.
Under the legislation regional fuel tax legislation, other councils are able to bid for a regional fuel tax from 2020 onwards.
But speaking in the House today, Ardern ruled out implementing any other regional fuel taxes.
"The regional rule tax legislation puts in a date, but I can give this guarantee to this House, and to consumers, there will be no other regional fuel taxes while I am Prime Minister."
This comes after Bridges told The AM Show this morning Wellington City Council confirmed it was in early discussions about a fuel tax.
But Council spokesman Richard MacLean told the Herald this was not the case.
Transport Minister Phil Twyford also ruled out a Wellington fuel tax.
"This is not right, this is not true, there's no discussions," she said.
Twyford also said in a statement Bridges' comments were categorically wrong.
"The Government has explicitly ruled out a regional fuel tax in Wellington," he said.
"The Wellington councils have asked for a regional fuel tax. I have ruled it out.
"Like many councils around the country, Wellington was left with a massive infrastructure deficit from the former government. These councils are desperate for funding to build much-needed transport infrastructure."
Ardern said in the House Bridges was making "a habit of mischief-making, throwing out this morning completely fake false information about regional fuel taxes that by law cannot be introduced by this House."
Asked if she, or any of her Ministers, had spoken to any other regional councils aside from Auckland's, the possibility of implementing a regional fuel tax, she said it was a matter of public record that a number of councils around the countries have asked for one, but her Government would not be providing one.
Before going into the House, she accused Bridges of spreading "utterly, incorrect, false" information about a Wellington fuel tax.
