Energy Minister Megan Woods wouldn't say if the Government's controversial fuel tax cut will remain after Thursday's budget.
The Government will release the 2022 Budget on Thursday afternoon, where Finance Minister Grant Robertson will unveil $6 billion in new spending.
In March, the Government scrapped fuel taxes for three months to help people cope with the rising cost of living when petrol prices rose above $3 per litre.
But the cost of fuel has continued to rise, with petrol prices in central Auckland hitting an all-time high last Thursday as a litre went for $3.15, according to Gaspy spokesperson Larry Green.
But Woods wasn't giving anything away when quizzed by AM host Ryan Bridge.
"Look there are only a few more hours to wait and all will be revealed," she told AM.
"I think what people have seen from our Government is that we have been pragmatic when it comes to a number of these issues. We understand there has been pain and we needed time for people to readjust."
Bridge questioned Wood if Kiwis are still experiencing pain at the pump.
"Look, what I think we are also seeing is crude going up again and so are prices at the pump and that is what is driving it," she said.
"People can rest assured, we are monitoring [it] very closely [and] what margins fuel companies are taking and they have actually gone down since we have introduced these measures."
Woods said the Government has made it clear leading up to the announcement of the Budget at 2pm on Thursday that it will be centred around climate and health.
Bridge questioned Woods on if the Government will tackle the cost of living crisis in the budget.
"We are not a Government that has just discovered the cost of living pressures for New Zealanders, we've been doing that since we came into Government right from our first working week," she said.
"We understand that things have had to change and we have shown that through every Budget, but in terms of the squeezed middle, what we need to make sure is actually anything that is happening is targeted."
ACT Party leader David Seymour told AM on Thursday he hopes the Government tackles inflation to help stop the Kiwi brain drain.
"I think this is important that this doesn't go down in history as the 'Brain Drain Budget'," Seymour told Bridge.
"We have to ask what are we doing for people whose primary way of getting more money is not a Government handout but something called working because this Government has increased taxes by 14 billion in the last couple of years.
"People see every other price go up because Government spending is inflationary and if we don't find a way to make this place attractive to meet your bills and actually stay and plan your future, then people with get up and go, some of them at least with get up and go."
Watch the full interview with Megan Woods, David Seymour, Nicola Willis, Marama Davidson, and Rawiri Waititi above.
