Fuel prices in NZ

Ah yes the system in NZ is very different to that in OZ when it comes to diesel fuel. All diesel fuelled vehicles have to purchase a permit for a specified number of kilometres and ir is against the law to drive such vehicle with an expired permit. The cost of these permits (as I recall) does in fact make the actual cost of running a diesel powered vehicle in NZ considerably more expensive than in OZ. So the actual mcost per litre of diesel is in fact cheaper at the bowser than in OZ HOWEVER there exists the 'hidden cost' to Australians at least. Perhaps a Kiwi might be able to explain the situation a little clearer for you if I am off the track with it at all. In regard to the supposed cost difference of petrol in NZ to OZ, the $1.90 per litre in NZ is actually equivilant to $1.55567 AUST so I don't really see any signicianct difference in petrol prices.

"but they have got the difference the right way round."

Naaaah .... they've got it arse about as usual. Diesel deserves to be slugged hard hahahahaha

No about the benchmark (Each servo is owner operated and they set the prices),but even up to 50 cents diesel/petrol..

Things are even worse in the Chathams. A shop attendant at Waitangi Hardware quoted $2.30 for a litre for 91 and $1.80 for diesel, and said locals had been paying more than $2 a litre for at least six months.

over in nz you pay road user chargers which is like this if your 4x4 weights 2 ton you pay $280 for 10,000 km; 3 ton about $300;4 ton $320; hopes this helps

There was a letter to the editor in the Newcastle Morning Herald 8th May on this subject. I can't vouch for how accurate it is, but for what it is worth I'll quote part of the letter.

"Inquiries I made during a recent visit to that country (NZ) showed that all diesel vehicles are fitted with a wheel hub odometer. Owners then pay an additional tax calculated on laden vehicle weight times kilometres travelled. I am told that this more than negates the initial price saving"

The road user charges are calcullated on the loaded weight of your vehicle.
Hence virtually nothing comes in under 2 tonne as even a car loaded weighs more than 1 tonne.

You have to buy in multiples of 1000km IN ADVANCE.
The penalty when I was last there in 2002 was about 3 times the cost of the amount you were behind plus you had to pay what you hadnt.

Also they have "truckstop" bowsers where, if you qualify, the fuel is cheaper. In the mid 90's I was driving a diesel Corona Taxi paying 2 tonne rates. At the pump diesel was 52.2cents per litre.
At the truckstop it was 43.3 cents.
To get a card to buy there you had to be a commercial vehicle so the ordinary joe couldnt use them. We got ours thru a cooperative of taxi owners.

The road user charges are viewable here

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/factsheets/38.html


I was talking to friends over there last week and diesel was exactly the same price as in Brisbane $1.53

Which makes it expensive as wages in my Job are about 60% of what I get paid here.

One advantage of living over there if you are retired is that EVERYONE over 65 (Or eligible age) gets the pension whether you work or not.
In money terms its about the same as here.