Source: Radio New Zealand
Gigi Joyce said she’s sold her car after the spike in fuel costs and now picks up food parcels on a rented e-scooter. Lucy Xia/RNZ
An Auckland mum has been picking up parcels from a foodbank with an e-scooter amidst the fuel crisis as charities see more people unable to afford travel to get help, and volunteers reducing their hours.
Gigi Joyce, who lives with her partner and three children in Mount Albert – including a 15-months old daughter- said she’s sold her car after the spike in fuel costs made it unaffordable for her family.
She’s been picking up food parcels from a social food pantry in Mount Roskill on an e-scooter, and uses a metal chain to secure multiple bags of groceries onto the scooter, while hanging additional bags onto the handles.
It’s a precarious balance, but Joyce said it’s more efficient than carrying the many bags while transferring buses.
Gigi Joyce securing bags of parcels onto a rented e-scooter with a metal chain. Lucy Xia/RNZ
Louise Garbett, coordinator at Communities feeding Communities – a social pantry run by Presbyterian Support Northern in Mount Roskill – said they’re seeing higher demand, with food requests also coming from people who are working, and families where both parents are working.
She said more people are unable to travel to their hub.
“I’m getting called all day long from people asking if we can deliver food parcels, which is unfortunately something we can offer, but it’s problematic for people to drive here because they have to pay for fuel to pick up food, so we are worried about people,” she said.
Garbett said public transport can be challenging for people carrying a large load.
“We have had more people coming on the bus to pick up their food parcels, which is all very well, but it’s very difficult to carry a week’s worth of groceries on the bus, particularly if you have a disability or you’re pregnant, or you have a bunch of kids with you,” she said.
Garbett said two volunteers haven’t been coming for the past two weeks due to the cost of fuel.
She’s also worried that companies would start to put up the cost on their food orders if the conflict in the Middle East continues, and that they won’t be able to help as many people.
Garbett said she hopes the government can consider extending the $50 per week fuel subsidy, currently only for low-to-middle-income workers who have children, to more groups in society – particularly people with disabilities who may not be able to take public transport.
Agnes Magele from Auckland Action Against Poverty said people on benefits who were previously barely able to afford petrol to get to their office, are now unable to come.
Magele is also calling on the government to provide the $50 fuel subsidy to beneficiaries and working people who may not fit the current criteria.
Tyla Nasmith, who runs Nurturing Families in West Auckland, said they’ve been seeing more referrals and longer lists of requested items.
“In the past weeks or months, we might’ve been providing a couple of things for families – but now they’re in such crisis that we’re providing everything for a newborn, or clothing, and school supplies for older kids as well,
Nasmith said some of their volunteers are reducing the number of times they come each week due to the petrol costs.
“If we can’t get volunteers here, because the cost of gas is so expensive, we aren’t gonna be able to get the support out to families as quick as possible, it’s kind of like a really big knock on effect, and I guess there’s so much uncertainty over this time period,” she said.
Mount Roskill woman Safiya used to volunteer with the NZ Ethnic Women’s Trust to drive migrant women and refugees to their appointments and errands.
Mount Roskill resident Safiya said she used to volunteer to drive migrant women refugee women, but has stopped doing that due to the cost of fuel. Lucy Xia/RNZ
She said she’s stopped doing that for a month now due to the high cost of petrol.
Safiya, who’s disabled and has been on crutches since the age of 14, said rising fuel prices have restricted her everyday activities.
“It’s very hard for me, the only thing I can do is drop off and pick up the kids from school, and I’m much more stuck at home now because the petrol fee is very high,
“I used to go socialization, the community places to chat and all that, but now I’m stuck and that’s not good for my health and my memory, so I hope the things get sorted and the war stops, and we can just get our normal petrol budget,” she said.
Willis stands firm on current fuel subsidy
Asked whether the government would consider extending $50 per week fuel subsidy to more groups, the finance minister Nicola Willis said in a statement that the government has acted to support those most impacted by the conflict in the Middle East with the subsidy to the low-to-middle income working families with children.
“People experiencing particular difficulties should talk to the Ministry of Social Development to check what they may be eligible for,
“However, the Government is not in the position of being able to mitigate the impact on all New Zealanders of a conflict that is making people all over the world poorer,” she said.
Willis said New Zealand’s fiscal buffers were eroded in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, and any additional funding has to come from savings elsewhere, or be borrowed.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
