12 Dec 2024

Is new lending drying up for petrol stations

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 12 December 2024
Waitomo fuel prices are below $2.00 a litre. 18 November 2018.

Photo: Facebook

New Zealand fuel retailer Waitomo says the writing is on the wall as banks move to wind up new lending to petrol stations.

At the select committee enquiry into banking yesterday, the BNZ acknowledged it is pulling back from lending to some petrol stations, describing it as a "credit decision". 

In a statement its spokesperson said business lending decisions are risk based and in the case of petrol stations the bank does not want to increase its exposure to that sector.

The Banking Association said the Government has a range of climate-related policies and regulation aimed at addressing the issue - and the banks take these regulatory obligations very seriously.

Alongside this, Federated Farmers says similar decisions are being made about lending to farmers.

It wants the Commerce Commission to investigate what it calls cartel-like, anti-competitive behaviour by banks. 

Federated Farmers says this is being driven by a UN-convened alliance which requires clients to meet emissions reduction targets to get lower interest rates. 

All the major banks here or their parent companies are part of this Net-Zero Alliance.

Kathryn speaks with the chief executive of Waitomo Simon Parham and Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Richard McIntyre.