Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ / Quin Tauetau
New Zealanders living in rural areas say they’re being left out of the government’s fuel support package, warning it excludes people already under pressure from rising costs.
Almost 150,000 families with children will receive an extra $50 a week to help offset soaring petrol prices created by the war in Iran.
The payment would be delivered through the in-work tax credit, meaning only low-to-middle-income workers with children are eligible.
For some, that left a growing gap.
Rochelle* lives in the small rural community of Tapora, north of Auckland, where public transport is almost non-existent and driving is unavoidable.
She commutes more than an hour each way for work and also travels to care for vulnerable people in the community.
She said the rising cost of fuel was starting to bite.
“In a week I’d budget around $120 to $150 to fill my tank, but now it’s more like $200 plus. We’re kind of okay for now, but if it goes on much longer it’s going to get really hard.
“I also work as a carer, and [the government] has stopped funding the travel time to get to clients. When you’re in a remote community and fuel is going up, it’s really, really tough. I think a lot of carers are going to struggle, especially when some people you’re helping live an hour away.”
Without reliable transport alternatives, she said there was little choice but to keep driving.
“The nearest bus stop is about 40 kilometres away. There is a bus in Wellsford, but getting there is the issue. So for us, driving isn’t optional, it’s just part of life.”
Rochelle was not eligible for the government’s fuel support because she didn’t have children.
She said the impact went beyond her own budget.
“If you’re having to drive for work, especially in caring roles, and there’s no support for that anymore, it’s going to affect the people who rely on that care.
“There are people in the community who are older and vulnerable, and it might reduce the amount of help they’re getting because carers simply can’t afford to get there.”
She believed the support should be broader.
“I understand helping families, but I think they need to look wider than that. There are pensioners out here already on really tight budgets, and they’re going to have to choose between things like food, petrol, or going to the doctor.
“The government needs to think about those people too, because they won’t ask for help, they’ll just struggle along.”
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‘People like me get nothing’ – job seeker
In the small community of Shannon, in the Horowhenua District, Douglas*, 42, was also missing out.
After finishing a contract late last year, he had been applying for jobs for months without success.
“I’ve sent off probably around 300 CVs. Every time I tailor my cover letter, research the company, spend hours on each application. I’ve applied for everything, even roles like fast food or cashier jobs, and I’ve been turned down for being overqualified.
“Now I’m down to double digits in my bank account and I’m really starting to stress.”
Because his partner earned above the threshold and they had no children, he was not eligible for Jobseeker support or the fuel payment.
“We’ve gone from two incomes to one, and it was a real smack in the face hearing that some families will get $50 a week, but people like me get nothing.
“I’m unemployed, I can’t get assistance, and I can’t even afford to fill up my tank to go to interviews that I’m applying for.”
Living in a semi-rural area, he said public transport was not an option.
“There’s no buses where we live. We pay rates towards buses in nearby towns, but they don’t come through here.
“If I want to use public transport, I have to drive to another town first, which defeats the purpose. Logistically, it just doesn’t work.”
He said fuel costs were shaping daily decisions.
“I used to spend about $120 a week on fuel commuting. Now I’m rationing everything I do. I’m getting to the point where I might have to turn down interviews because I won’t be able to afford to get there.”
Douglas believed the government’s response had fallen short.
“It honestly felt like a smack in the face. It feels like [the government] waited until things got really bad before doing anything, and then the response was to help a small percentage of people and tell everyone else to just deal with it.
“This is going to affect everything, food prices, supply chains, everyday life. It’s not just petrol, it flows through the whole economy, and I don’t think the response matches how serious this is,” he said.
*RNZ has agreed not to use the surnames of both people featured in this story.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
