STAND UP TO RUCs!

Diesel Near Petrol Prices - Yet RUC Still Applies

The price changed. The system didn’t!

Why this matters?
Diesel powers New Zealand.

It moves:

Freight 🚛
Food 🛒
Essential goods 📦
When diesel costs rise - everything costs more.

What’s changed?
Diesel was once significantly cheaper than petrol.
That’s why Road User Charges (RUCs) were introduced - as an alternative way to fund road use.

But that reality has changed.

Across New Zealand, diesel prices are now close to petrol prices, driven by:

Global refined fuel markets (including diesel crack spreads)
Exchange rate pressure (NZD vs USD)
International supply constraints
 
What hasn’t changed
👉 Road User Charges still apply

Diesel users are now facing:

High global diesel prices
GST and other costs
AND fixed RUC charges per kilometre
👉 The price has changed - but the system hasn’t.

The real impact
When diesel rises:

Transport costs increase
Businesses pass those costs on
Food and everyday essentials go up
This affects every household — not just drivers.

What we are asking
We call on the Government to:

👉 Immediately suspend or significantly reduce Road User Charges (RUCs) while diesel prices remain elevated

👉 Undertake an urgent review of the transport funding system, including:

1. The balance between fuel taxation and RUC

2. The real-world impact of diesel costs on households and businesses

3. Whether current settings remain fair under today’s pricing conditions
 
Why now?
New Zealand no longer refines its own fuel.

We are fully exposed to:

Global diesel pricing
Refining margins (crack spreads)
Currency fluctuations
👉 We have less control - but more cost.

This is about fairness
This isn’t about how the system was originally designed.

It’s about what’s happening now.

👉 Diesel is near petrol prices
👉 Costs are rising across the economy
👉 And the system hasn’t adapted

If you’re feeling it at the pump or at the checkout - you’re not alone.

👉 Sign this petition
👉 Share it with others
👉 Help push for a system that reflects today’s reality