March 28, 2026

#TeKaupapa: Fuel Crisis & Cost of Living – Is the Governments Response Enough?

Matthew Tukaki Posted On March 28, 2026

Across Aotearoa, the pressure is being felt in real time – at the petrol pump, at the supermarket, and around kitchen tables. The rising cost of fuel has become the focal point of a broader cost-of-living crisis, one that is hitting whānau Māori particularly hard.

Engagement across Radio Waatea’s platforms reflects the depth of concern. More than 34,000 people took part in a recent #questionoftheday, with over 76 percent supporting a pause on fuel tax. The message from the audience is clear – families are under sustained financial pressure, and many believe current measures are not going far enough.

For households already navigating rising costs in food, power, and housing, fuel has become a tipping point. In many regions, particularly outside the main centres, driving is not optional – it is essential. It connects people to work, school, healthcare, and whānau. When fuel prices rise, the impact is immediate and unavoidable.

The Government’s response has focused on targeted support and broader economic management, but questions remain about whether that response reflects the lived reality on the ground. For many, relief measures are either too narrow or too slow to offset the daily cost increases being experienced.

The issue is not isolated to domestic policy. Global instability is playing a significant role, with rising geopolitical tensions contributing to volatility in fuel markets. That uncertainty is flowing through to Aotearoa, affecting not only prices at the pump but also the wider economy.

For Māori businesses, particularly those operating in transport, primary industries, and regional economies, the impact is compounded. Increased fuel costs reduce margins, disrupt planning, and create additional pressure in sectors already sensitive to global shifts.

At the same time, whānau are being asked to absorb these costs while managing existing financial strain. The cumulative effect is a growing sense that the burden is being carried unevenly – and that those with the least flexibility are being hit the hardest.

This raises a critical question about urgency.

Is the Government responding at the pace required by the crisis, or are communities being left to manage the impact on their own?

For Te Kaupapa, this is about more than fuel prices.

It is about how economic policy connects with everyday life – how decisions made at the top translate into outcomes for whānau, and whether those outcomes are fair, equitable, and sustainable.

As global pressures continue to build, the expectation from communities is not just acknowledgment, but action – action that recognises the scale of the challenge and the reality that for many, there is no buffer left.

Because when it comes to the cost of living, the question is not whether people are feeling it.

It is how much more they can carry.