National could scrap or delay bills raising petrol prices

National could scrap or delay legislation pushing up the price of petrol, the party's Deputy Leader Bill English said today.

The price of petrol has continued to increase in recent months and is now pushing the $1.90 a litre level for 91 octane.

The international price of oil is the main driver of pump prices and New Zealand has been somewhat insulated from the worst of the increase because of the high value of the dollar.

Some have called for the various taxes and levies on petrol to be cut or shelved as some families struggle to meet rising costs.

Soon councils will have the ability to levy up to five cents per litre for transport projects and Mr English confirmed today that National did not support that tax and would scrap it.

Parliament is also considering biofuels and climate change legislation, which some have estimated could push petrol up to $2.20 a litre. Mr English said this could be too much at the same time as households were facing higher interest rates and food prices.

"That raises some issues about whether these policies about these levies are well founded and also about the timing of them," Mr English told Radio New Zealand.

- NZPA