Of course, New Zealand’s ability to price-gouge its own citizens goes far beyond the resale of Metallica tickets.
Take a typical New Zealand sporting event; tickets to a sought after rugby match which avarice-inspired Kiwis quickly snap up without any intention to use then – much like the Metallica ticket fiasco of last instalment – wait until that event is sold out before selling their tickets to desperate fans at ridiculously marked up prices.
It’s not illegal and by that logic, in the opinion of scalpers around the country, there’s nothing wrong with it yet, in the opinions of dedicated fans who miss out on the original run of tickets, it’s an unscrupulous practice which cheats genuine fans of the opportunity to support their idols.
Gouging in New Zealand goes much deeper, and is so much more sinister than rock concerts and sporting events, though; the New Zealand Government likes to gouge us through taxation, sure but, what about fuel companies?
It’s long been understood that the bulk of our fuel cost – petrol and diesel – is composed of Government tax; so, during the COVID lockdown, when the price dropped to around $1.50 per litre, that must have been the result of the Labour Government, of our beloved Cindy, lightening up on the people, right?
What if it wasn’t though; what if, at this time, through an unprecedentedly reduced demand, fuel had become basically worthless?
What if the New Zealand Government continued to charge somewhere near $1.50 in taxes and what if service stations took their regular cut from their sale; what if the oil companies were making a pittance?
As I have seen it, one litre of petrol is currently worth around 0.50NZD.
That’s half a dollar; fifty cents.
Today’s cost of a litre of 91 Octane from a service station is closer to $2 than it is to $1.50.
‘Government proposes new law to lower petrol prices, yet raises fuel taxes’ – recent NZ Herald headline.
Could it be there is collusion between our Government and fuel companies, or is it just our Government pumping us?
Article by Tim Walker
Edited by Cole Husion
Photography by Jacinda Pumper