Five days of fuel: How the pressure unfolded at the pump

Sunday, 22 March 2026

As the war in Iran drives up global oil prices, pushes fuel towards record highs and raises fears of shortages, New Zealanders are confronting the cost — and uncertainty — in real time at the pump. Virginia Fallon reports.

Monday. 91: $3.06, 95: $3.21, diesel: $2.55.

Brent Hood is trying not to look. No, admits the lone customer at Paraparaumu’s NPD self-service petrol pumps, his strategy won’t change the outcome, but right now it’s the only one he’s got.

“I’m thinking like an ostrich,” says the builder, “you know, the whole head-in-the-sand sort of mentality.”

Everywhere else though, nobody can look away. The war in Iran and effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have sent oil prices past US$100 a barrel, affecting about 20% of the world’s oil supply.

Since Marsden Point stopped refining oil in 2022 New Zealand has imported all its refined fuel, mostly from South Korea and Singapore. Now those refineries rely on crude oil shipped through waters blocked by Iranian drones.

Earlier today the fuel monitoring app Gaspy saw a 10-fold increase in users, and the country a return of the 1pm press conference.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis says petrol prices have risen about 45 to 50 cents a litre, and diesel about 72 cents, adding a respective $23 and $36 to the cost of filling an average vehicle. “We are acutely conscious of the impact this will be having for many New Zealanders.”

She’s also not playing down the possibility of petrol rising towards $4 a litre, or ruling out fuel rationing or targeted financial support for consumers - though says any conservation measures are at least three to four weeks away.

But today Hood has abandoned his ostrich plan and looks more like a possum in the headlights. The numbers on the diesel pump tick upward - $40, $60, $80 - as he watches them like most of us do a taxi meter.

“You try not to look,” he says, “but you always do.”

Tuesday. 91: $3.03; 95: $3.20, diesel: $3.38.

At lunchtime the pumps are pumping when Sam Harris pulls up in the Honda Civic that he calls “old faithful”. Every week, regardless of price, the retiree spends $30 on petrol and today will be no different.

“I don’t drive that much so it’s not a big deal, it’s everything else that’s going to hurt: freight, food etcetera.”

Just as yesterday, New Zealanders were warned to brace themselves for higher prices at the checkout as the conflict in the Middle East drove up the cost of getting our groceries, earlier today we heard they’ve already risen significantly.

Food prices were up 4.5% in the year to February, Statistics New Zealand reported, and mince has recorded the biggest annual increase - 23.2% - since data began.

“Mince,” says Harris, shaking his head as he shuts the petrol cap with a little more oomph than strictly necessary. “We’re paying that for mince?”

Over at another pump, a younger woman is helping an older one fill her car. Neither want to be named, though the latter happily volunteers that she’s 86 and more than capable of running most of her errands on foot.

“But I’m still very worried about the cost of petrol, especially for those people with young families.”

Like Harris, both women are concerned about the flow-on effects of the fuel crisis, adding as it will to the general cost of living one.

Still, the younger woman says petrol is her most significant weekly cost, much more than even food. Five days a week she drives from Ōtaki to Palmerston North for her maintenance job at a rest home, and there’s no option for public transport, let alone travelling light.

“I’ve got all my tools in here,” she says of the station wagon’s jam-packed boot, then points out the folded back seat covered in blankets, “and all the dogs sleep there.”

She’s worried sick about rising fuel costs and doesn’t believe the government is doing enough to mitigate them. “All those politicians have huge salaries and all those extra benefits. An extra $30 a week isn’t going to hurt their budgets.”

Later today economist Cameron Bagrie will say our real crunch point will come in just a few weeks, with fuel destined for NZ now being refined in Singapore or Korea after going through the Hormuz strait before it closed.

'What that means in practice is that we've got about 30 days supply stored here locally, there's about another 20 days on the water. But it's anybody's guess as to what ships are going to be in the water two weeks down the track.'

Back at the pumps, the younger woman is setting off to collect her dogs before driving up the line. She has three of them - two corgis and a border collie.

Wednesday. 91:$3.09, 95: $3.26, diesel $2.83.

The man in the ute won’t give his name but will happily be quoted as “absolutely furious”. Not only has he just poured a small fortune into his tank but for some reason the pump cut off before he could fill his petrol tins.

“Maybe they cut out at after $200? I wouldn’t know because I’ve never spent $200 on bloody petrol before.”

While yesterday’s mood was worry, today’s is anger. Customers tell each other and the Sunday Star-Times that they’re felling “ripped-off by fuel companies”, “ignored by politicians”, and “sick of paying more for less“.

“I don’t understand why the prices are going up for fuel we’ve already got in stock. What’s going on?” asks Sohail, standing next to his Mercedes.

The Waikanae man would usually use 100plus in his tank but today has gone for the less expensive 95. He’s put $20 into the car and filled a 20 litre petrol tin - a total cost of $91. He’s been trying to buy another tin but was told by a local shop that they’d just sold their last 16 to a single customer.

“Incredible eh? I actually come from Iran, my parents came here when the revolution happened.”

Across the way, John Morrison, a former NZ cricketer and Wellington City councillor, has been trying to put $50 worth of diesel into his enormous vehicle but the pump isn’t working.

“Has it run out already? F……. hell.”

Despite being deeply unimpressed, Morrison says his pain will be short-lived because he’s off on a cricket tour in Thailand. There, the BBC reported today, people are being urged to wear T-shirts instead of suits to reduce the need for air conditioning, while Sri Lanka’s public servants are taking holidays to limit the number of commuters.

“I definitely won’t be wearing a suit in Thailand,” Morrison says.

In Aotearoa though, commuters are still commuting. Nicola Willis says that working from home could help those feeling the pinch - though isn’t practical for everyone - and Trade Me reported a 142% spike in searches for electric vehicles in March so far compared to February.

Back at the pumps, Kiri and her partner are setting off for an appointment at Kenepuru Hospital in Porirua, calculating it’ll cost $25 to get them there and back.

“I’ll be walking to work next week. Thank God we don’t have kids.”

Janet James, who does, is “really angry about all of this, everything”. The Upper Hutt woman says the double whammy of fuel and food costs has seen her family spending at least an extra $100 a week “and it’s only going to get worse”.

Today Foodstuffs North Island chief executive Chris Quin says the cost increases from the war in Iran are still to hit supermarket shelves.

Supply isn’t a risk, he tells Newstalk ZB, though the company's own truck fleet, which moves products around the country, will see a multi-million dollar impact from diesel prices in the next few months.

'We're absorbing that at this point to try and do everything we can to have it minimise the impact on New Zealanders on shelf. But there is, if this continues, it is going to be very difficult to suppress.“

At NPD, the man who was earlier cut off at $200 has now inched his vehicle forward to another pump to fill his containers: “Oh lucky me, it works; they’re letting me give them money. Yippee.”

Across the road, SuperCheap Auto has sold out of fuel cans, just like The Warehouse around the corner.

“It’s fair to say we’ve had a bit of a run,” says a staff member, simultaneously shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head, “they’ve been selling like hot cakes.”

Thursday. 91:$2.97, 95: $3.14, diesel: $2.71.

George says that being approached at the pump by a journalist only adds insult to injury. “Just when I thought the day couldn't get any worse, up you pop.”

Today he's filling up his sedan while metaphorically kicking himself for not doing so earlier. His wife had wanted to do it in the weekend but he refused to join 'all the other idiots“ panicking about petrol.

'I'm pissed off, in case you didn't notice. It's one thing after another: food, fuel, roadworks, whatever Trump is doing that drags everyone else in the world into it.'

Although the retired engineer can afford the extra $30 or so that today's fuel will cost, he insists that's not the point. What is, he says, is that none of this was necessary.

“It’s not our war, it’s not even legal. We’re at the mercy of a megalomaniac who just happens to be the most powerful man in the world.”

While prices at NPD have dropped today, there’s no change in the moods of motorists. An overnight attack by Israel on Iran’s natural South Pars gasfield, the largest in the world, has sent oil prices to $US109 a barrel and prompted a vow to retaliate from Iran.

Those rising oil prices mean New Zealanders should also brace for higher fuel costs, KiwiBank chief economist Jarrod Kerr tells The Post.

“We're going to see much more savage and brutal moves in financial markets. I don't think they've actually tested where the highs are.”

At this afternoon’s press conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also warns that “things could get worse before they get better” if the war continues.

A group of ministers is meeting regularly to understand the impact on NZ, he says, and the Government will be fleshing out the country’s National Fuel Plan, preparing for a scenario lasting at least eight to 12 weeks, at which point New Zealand’s major sources of refined fuel in South Korea and Singapore would be struggling to access new crude oil.

“We are preparing for the worst-case scenario.”

Nicola Willis says she’s sought advice on how the Government could deliver targetted support for families worst hit by high fuel costs, though made clear it wouldn’t be through a change to fuel taxes.

Instead, it would be a ‘tax and transfer’ system, suggesting that an increase to Working For Families could be the format for the support.

“These price increases are impacting every New Zealander, but it would be at this point irresponsible for us to help every New Zealander,” she says.

Back in Kāpiti, Julie McIntosh has just spilt a trickle of petrol down the side of her while she was distracted by the kids arguing in the backseat.

“That’s probably worth $5. I’m almost tempted to do a floor-suck.”

**Friday. 91: $3.13, 95: $3.30, *diesel $2.93.***

It’s shaping up to be a beautiful day in Kāpiti. By 8am, it’s already mild for March, and even at the pumps there’s a faint sense of Friday about things.

For one woman that means for the next two days both the car and her wallet will get a rest. This weekend her family will be going Shanks’ Pony, abandoning driving for walking, in a move dressed up as an adventure for the kids.

“They’re actually really excited, like it’s a fun challenge or something.”

For their parents though it's increasingly a case of needs must. Both commute to Wellington for work, and in the past week that’s set them back about $50 more than usual - the equivalent of a dinner for the extended family of seven.

“We are lucky because we are working at least,” says the nurse, before catching herself. “Actually, I’m sick of saying that I’m grateful for a job. We’re working really hard and still not making ends meet.”

This morning Kiwis woke to news that Iran has intensified its attacks on oil and natural gas facilities around the Gulf, making good on its vow of retaliation for yesterday’s attack by Israel on South Pars gasfield.

The strikes sent Brent Crude briefly soaring above US$119 per barrel, and risked drawing Iran’s Arab neighbours directly into the conflict, AP reported.

In Paraparaumu, Sara Merring has just dropped her kids at school and is on her way to work. She swipes her card, plugs in $50, clicks the nozzle onto auto, then steps back, arms folded, as the dollars tick over.

“I saw someone filling up fuel cans the other day, not just one or two, but stacking heaps of them in the boot. You start to wonder what they know that you don’t.”

She pauses while watching a man fill a single container at the next pump over.

“We’re a strange species, eh? It’s like toilet paper all over again.”