‘Ute tax’: Farmers and tradies outraged in New Zealand

Tradies and farmers, furious about the so-called “ute tax”, have taken to the streets in protest amid fears it will drive up prices.

Farmers and tradies have flooded New Zealand streets in recent weeks in protest against a raft of government policies dubbed the “ute tax”.

The Howl of a Protest event, organised by Groundswell New Zealand, led to thousands of farm vehicles rumbling through cities in protest against what farmers say is increasing interference from the government, unworkable regulations and unjustified costs.

The protests took place in 55 cities starting from Kaitaia to Southland.

Tractors being driven by farmers and protesters on the motorway into Auckland. Picture: Dave Rowland/Getty Images

Protesters with signs on July 16, 2021 in Richmond, New Zealand. Picture: Andy MacDonald/Getty Images

Why farmers are angry in New Zealand

The New Zealand government first announced a plan to introduce a Clean Car Standard and Clean Car Discount in 2019.

Warning of growing greenhouse gas emissions, the government agreed to introduce a Co2 emissions standard for imported new and used light vehicles.

That means increased fees on petrol and diesel vehicles widely used by farmers and tradies.

With the introduction of the new Co2 vehicle rules, Australia and Russia will be left as the only nations in the OECD without a regulated standard.

Protesters are demanding the government loosen new regulations on managing waterways, and ease some border controls, to allow more overseas workers into the country.

“Farmers have got a lot of work to do and driving up the motorway in such mass is really representative of the gravity of what the farmers are feeling about these unworkable and unreasonable, and undemocratic regulations that they have just been forced upon us,” Scotty Bright, one of the organisers of an event in Auckland, said.

“It’s just not workable, it’s really hurting farmers and it going to probably kill farming as we know it.”

‘Farmers need utes’

A farmer posted a photo of widespread flooding in the upper South Island and lower North Island to show why utes were still needed.

The image showed a ute pulling a little red car with water up to the windows out of flooding in Lower Hutt.

Photo credit: Facebook / Silent Majority Team New Zealand / John Hercock

“Is this a legitimate use of a ute?” the caption questioned.

“By the time the rescue happened the water was up to the door windows. The driver and passenger are both safe and uninjured. (Prime Minister) Jacinda Ardern we still need our utes even in suburbia.”

Ms Ardern revealed last month the that the government considered exempting utes from financial penalties in the scheme. However, that was eventually ruled out.

“We gave them really strong consideration and we’re very genuine in that because we recognise that there wasn’t an alternative in the market right now,” Ardern told reporters.

“We did discuss that because we recognised that there is a lag in the technology right now. But after discussing it, debating it and working it through, it was going to be very difficult to operationalise.

“A large number of those buyers of those vehicles are not using them for the legitimate use as those who work in the primary sector and the trades.”

In Australia, Labor is planning to cut import tariffs and fringe benefits tax on non-luxury electric cars if it wins the next federal election.

The European Union this week proposed an effective ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035, aiming to speed up the switch to zero-emission electric vehicles.

– with the New Zealand Herald