Labour will make car repairs cheaper, crack down on unfair fuel prices and bring more competition to the pump, putting drivers back in the driver’s seat.
"This election is about the cost of living. For most Kiwis, a car is a necessity, it's how we get to work, drop the kids at school, and get on with life,” Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.
“But under National, the cost of getting around keeps climbing. Labour will give drivers a fair go, whether they’re buying a car, fixing it or filling it up.
“We’ll crack down on price gouging, freeze fuel tax for three years and make it easier for independent mechanics and petrol stations to compete,” Chris Hipkins said.
Labour will:
Give drivers the right to repair. Require carmakers to give independent mechanics fair access to the manuals, software, tools and information needed to fix modern cars.
Put fuel prices under the microscope. Require the Commerce Commission to report weekly on fuel prices and whether falling costs are being passed on to drivers.
Crack down on fuel price gouging. Apply Labour’s price gouging law to wholesale and retail fuel, allowing unfair pricing to be investigated and overcharges recovered.
Open up the fuel market. Give independent petrol stations fairer access to fuel supplies and stronger protection against restrictive contracts.
Make more room for competition. Require NZTA to consider making surplus land available for independent unmanned petrol stations and EV chargers.
“Your car belongs to you. You should be able to choose who fixes it,” Labour Commerce and Consumer Affairs spokesperson Arena Williams said.
"A right to repair means the mechanic down the road gets a fair shot at your business. It backs local workshops, supports skilled jobs and apprenticeships, and gives drivers a real choice.
“Currently independent workshops have to turn away work because they can't access the information they need to make repairs - Labour will fix this. Australia already did this in 2022 and has led to independent mechanics there able to repair cars 25% cheaper on average than dealerships.
"And we’re bringing in more competition at the pump too. The Commerce Commission found that fuel prices rise faster than they fall, costing Kiwi drivers around $15 million a year. When we were in government, Labour forced the big fuel companies to publish their wholesale prices and opened the market up to independent stations. Now we're going further.
"Labour's price gouging law will apply to fuel. We're giving the Commerce Commission the powers it needs to report fuel prices every week and make sure that when wholesale fuel costs fall, drivers see it at the pump.
“National is driving up prices – we can't afford another three years of their hidden costs and higher prices. Whether you’re buying your car, fixing it, or filling it up, Labour will make sure Kiwi drivers get a fair go,” Arena Williams said.
