People fill their cars with fuel at a gas station in Auckland, New Zealand, June 30, 2023. New Zealanders have lined up at petrol stations this week to get the last pump of government fuel discount as the subsidy ended on Friday after 15 months.(Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua)
WELLINGTON, June 30 (Xinhua) -- New Zealanders have lined up at petrol stations this week to get the last pump of government fuel discount as the subsidy ended on Friday after 15 months.
The full fuel tax will be reintroduced on Saturday, July 1, which means the removal of the current 25 cents per liter tax discount Kiwi drivers have enjoyed over the past 15 months.
The tax discount subsidy started in March last year to help New Zealanders cope with soaring fuel prices and the cost of living.
The rising fuel price burdened many New Zealanders during the first few months of last year.
A customer giving her name as Rachel at a petrol station said on Friday the fuel price hike from Saturday will affect her budget as her daily commute has relied heavily on her car and public transport is "not reliable."
The price hike will also affect the income of Uber drivers.
Meanwhile, the discount on road user charges will end on Saturday. Half-price public transport will also be replaced by normal prices for most adults. However, from Saturday, children aged 5-12 will be able to use public transport free of charge and half-price discounts remain for those aged 13-24.
The New Zealand economy is grappling with high inflation and rising interest rates.
The country entered an economic recession as the gross domestic product fell for the second quarter, according to the statistics department Stats NZ earlier this month. ■
People fill their cars with fuel at a gas station in Auckland, New Zealand, June 30, 2023. New Zealanders have lined up at petrol stations this week to get the last pump of government fuel discount as the subsidy ended on Friday after 15 months.(Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua)
People fill their cars with fuel at a gas station in Auckland, New Zealand, June 30, 2023. New Zealanders have lined up at petrol stations this week to get the last pump of government fuel discount as the subsidy ended on Friday after 15 months.(Photo by Zhao Gang/Xinhua)
