According to price comparison website Gaspy, average diesel prices in New Zealand have gone up more than 50 cents a litre in the last 28 days. Diesel prices were already expected to rise a further 30 to 50 cents, before Donald Trump announced that he was considering banning the export of diesel from the US. Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold told RNZ this would be like dropping a “nuclear bomb” on the world markets and could cause yet another 50 cent increase.

This is especially bad news for New Zealand, where, according to Transporting New Zealand, 93% of our goods are transported by road and almost all of our freight trucks are powered by diesel. When transport costs go up, freight companies recoup those losses by passing them onto their clients, who in turn pass them onto the consumer.

Directed, filmed and edited by Isaiah Tour.
Written and presented by Robbie Nicol.
Made with the support of NZ On Air.