1:57 pm on 21 May 2018
Fuel prices have hit record highs in parts of the country.
Petrol price hikes last week in Wellington and the South Island beat the record high set in 2013. Photo: RNZ / Alexander
Robertson
The cost of 91 octane in Wellington and the South Island hit $2.30 a litre last week, beating the previous high set in
2013.
Crude oil prices have been rising globally while the New Zealand dollar has fallen, making the cost of fuel more
expensive.
The price hike would be particularly hard on low-income families forced to drive older cars, AA PetrolWatch spokesperson
Mark Stockdale said.
"That's certainly going to hit motorists in the wallet, particularly low-income New Zealanders and motorists who have
got older, less fuel-efficient cars where their fuel bill is higher," Mr Stockdale said.
The government will introduce a regional fuel tax in Auckland from July.