Thursday, 8 September, 2016 - 11:25

Electronic Council parking machines in the main centres have raked in at least $1.7 million in card payment fees over 2015/16, says New Zealand First.

"While 50 cents here and 50 cents there may not sound very much, it adds up to a large sum of money and is symptomatic of a more serious issue," says New Zealand First Spokesperson for Commerce Fletcher Tabuteau.

"It is how the public is being conditioned to accept surcharges on electronic payments. With the huge growth in card payments for parking, there has also been an exponential growth in transaction fees collected by councils - at least $1.7m last year.

"What’s more, $1.7m over 2015/16 is very much the tip of a transaction fee iceberg because this sum is only for the main centres and Palmerston North. There is also a serious lack of transparency because this data was not easy to obtain.

"Auckland Council refused citing commercial grounds for its 813 machines. Since it shares the same provider - Global Integrated Solutions - with Christchurch City’s 292 machines, we modelled transaction fee revenue in Auckland as being almost $600,000 last financial year.

"Each of those electronic machines could be taking $700 plus each year in transaction fees alone and this sum will only keep rising.

"As we also have some of the highest credit card transaction fees in the world, it is time to look at all card fees and surcharges and regulate them because the market has failed," Mr Tabuteau said.

Council [incomplete 2015/16 financial year]

Parking Meter Revenue

Transaction Fee Revenue

Parking Fine Revenue

Auckland City Council

$ 16,307,652

$ 574,087

$ 7,537,770

Hamilton City Council

$ 1,111,884

$ 27,785

$ 1,484,895

Tauranga City Council

$ 1,576,093

$ 558,127

$ 170,688

Palmerston North City Council

$ 1,343,923

$ 50,850

$ 1,188,417

Wellington City Council

$ 10,363,000

$ 318,262

$ 2,918,978

Christchurch City Council

$ 4,920,744

$ 206,191

n/a

Dunedin City Council

$ 3,132,009

n/a

$ 640,956

TOTALS

$ 38,755,305

$ 1,735,301

$ 13,941,704