Thames woman turns to Gypsy

A Thames woman has joked that she’s going to go back to horse and carriage transport because petrol prices in New Zealand have risen for four consecutive quarters.

Her retort came after Stats NZ recently released information stating that this is the first time since the global financial crisis in 2008 that petrol prices have risen for four consecutive quarters.

Prices senior manager Paul Pascoe said that this is the highest annual increase since June 2011.

“Petrol prices increased 19 per cent in the September 2018 year,” Pascoe said.

Thames horsewoman Anna Baigent said that she was in favour of the horse and carriage coming back.

“I have six horses, and I’m about to sell my car in favour of a carriage,” Baigent said. “My Clydesdale Percheron, Gypsy, will lead the team.”

Stats NZ have reported that multiple factors have contributed to the petrol price increase this quarter. The exchange rate fell over the quarter, while crude oil prices rose.

The average price of 91 octane in the September quarter reached $2.18 up from $2.06 in the June quarter. The price of petrol rose continually throughout the quarter, and by the last week of September was 3.2 per cent higher than this quarters average.

A regional fuel tax of 10 cents per litre plus GST was introduced in Auckland at the beginning of July.

For the rest of the nation there was a 3.5 cents per litre nationwide increase in petrol tax that was introduced that the end of the September.

Hamilton labourer Daniel Habel thinks that it is important to note that despite Auckland having a 10 cent per litre petrol tax, the other regions are still paying more for their petrol.

“I believe petrol co-profits have increased something like nine per cent over the last two years,” Habel said. “But obviously their core service hasn’t changed.”

“The effects of this price increase will be seen in the December 2018 quarter,” Stats NZ said.