As the Iran-United States-Israel conflict nears two months, many Australians have had to adjust their lives to manage rising fuel costs. From cutting weekend trips to walking to work and restructuring farming programs, people are implementing strategies to ease the pressure on their hip pockets.
Melbourne primary school office manager Melanee Jordan recently visited her daughter in Tasmania and decided against taking her car on the Spirit of Tasmania due to petrol costs and a 15 per cent fuel surcharge. She also scrapped plans to rent a car, relying on her daughter and public transport instead. At home, rising petrol prices have made her reluctant to go out as much. If fuel prices do not improve soon, she said she would look to spend less on entertainment and cancel streaming subscriptions.
Brisbane postal worker Dean Brown said spending $150 a week to fill his car and motorbike was becoming stressful. He has been buying less food and groceries to factor in higher fuel costs. He tries to hold off on filling up until prices go down but says he ends up spending more money regardless. He has been using more public transport, despite track closures in Brisbane, and may have to sell his car if prices stay high.
Southern New South Wales cotton grower Sam Ryan said the conditions have created a challenging environment heading into harvest. The pickers use over a thousand litres of diesel a day, and fertiliser availability is also a concern. He said rising input costs and stagnant returns are putting farmers under pressure and influencing decisions about winter crops. He expects lower water allocations and higher prices, and may shut the gates for the season.
In Karratha, 1,500 kilometres north of Perth, grandmother Tammy Brown said the cost of fuel has meant missing out on seeing her family. Her daughter and granddaughter can no longer afford the 16-hour drive north, costing about $900 each way. Her parents, who are pensioners, can also no longer afford visits. She said the uncertainty of when she would see her family is taking its toll, and while FaceTime is great, it doesn't provide the contact she needs.
