New Clean Car Discount rebates and fees from 1 April 2022
So far only rebates have been granted for fully electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles coming to NZ, but from 1 April 2022 the fee component of the Clean Car Discount scheme for dirty vehicles that emit 192g/km CO2 or more will kick in. It's shown in the orange part of the image below.
Right-wing political parties and Groundswell NZ were quick to call the fee a "ute tax", but of course we all know that this is actually nonsense - it's not a fee for that particular type of vehicle. It just so happens that pretty much all utes brought into NZ exceed the above CO2 emissions threshold. Automobile manufacturers are used to NZ being a willing market for their dirtiest and highest-emitting vehicles. We're only too happy to buy them because we're uneducated or indifferent enough to care about carbon emissions and air pollution, or because we pretend that we don't have an alternative (which makes this story all the more enjoyable).
For those of us who need a high-emitting ute (or think we do, because Brian two doors down has got one, and we need to keep up), the best way to avoid the "ute tax", ahem, fee is to buy a used vehicle that is already in NZ and has been polluting here for a while. And there is a healthy market developing for those, as more and more of us switch to fuel-efficient vehicles and trade in our guzzlers - which is actually not paying that well. So there will be heaps of great-looking utes available shortly, as the wealthy among us replace our Remuera tractors with Teslas, and cheap as dirt, literally.
The fee is only charged on new or used high-emitting vehicles that enter NZ for the first time, which is exactly what we don't want - more dirty cars that spend up to 20 years on our roads. So let's just stick with what's here already, and voila - no fee, no tax, and cheap to buy, too - just as we like it.
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
-
82.3% Yes
-
14.9% No
-
2.8% Other - I'll share below
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Today’s Riddle – Can You Outsmart Your Neighbours?
First you eat me, then you get eaten. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Loading…
