Families stung by fuel costs

[act2617]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117...86-421,00.html

April 30, 2006


FAMILIES will spend an extra $1500 on petrol this year compared to 2005 because of soaring fuel prices.
NRMA president Alan Evans said higher petrol prices meant the cost of groceries had also risen four per cent because of higher transport costs.

"It won't stop there," Mr Evans said. "If interest rates rise, there'll be another $600 on top of that.

"So the average family will have to find at least $2000 this year."

Petroleum consultant Kevin Hughes said that if the US imposed sanctions on Iran, the price of fuel would skyrocket.

"It would take the price to $1.70 a litre, and it could go a lot higher, to $2 or $3 a litre," Mr Hughes said.

He declined to speculate on when petrol prices would peak.

Experts warn that high fuel prices will become the norm, and that families should factor a bigger petrol bill into their weekly budgets.

Service Station Association chief executive Ron Bowden said high fuel prices were here to stay.

"These prices are going to be with us for at least the next five years," Mr Bowden said.

"It's important families realise that, and build it into their budgets."

Mr Evans said rising fuel prices had caused a ripple effect, increasing the cost of goods and services.

"The ripple effect is huge, because petrol occupies such a central part of our economy," he said.

Soaring petrol prices have already impacted on tourism, with families cancelling holidays.

The high cost of transportation had led to a four per cent price rise for goods, Mr Evans said.

With an interest-rate rise on the cards as early as this week, family budgets are under further strain.

High fuel prices have already resulted in increased airline surcharges, and the cost of some food has risen.

Commonwealth Securities chief economist Craig James said the global economy was "on a knife edge".

Mr James said instability in Iran, Iraq and Nigeria could result in oil prices reaching $80 a barrel.

"If we had another $8 rise in the price of crude oil, we would see another 8c at the petrol pumps.

"Clearly, people in Sydney and Melbourne would be staring down something in the order of $1.50 a litre for fuel."

Record petrol prices, coupled with fears of an interest-rate hike, are having an enormous impact on motorists such as mother of six Fiona Zielinski, who has had to sell the family's Volvo station wagon.

"Running two cars, we're spending at least $800 a month on fuel," said Ms Zielinski, who plans to downsize to a smaller vehicle with a diesel engine.

The family's eight-seater Volkswagen, which costs $120 a week to fill, is used to ferry her six daughters to school, ballet and sport.

Air travellers will be hit with a $5 rise in fuel surcharge to $23, announced by Qantas last week.

[RG]

And thats for the average family. How do you think I feel running on 98ron doing 200kays 4-5 times a week just to get to work and back. A full tank gets me to work 2 1/2 times.

[qwigybo]

a full tank gets me to work for 4 days... it's a joke i'll have more money in my pocket being on the dole soon... at least then i will use 1/4 the amount of petrol not having to drive anywhere

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by GreenEL

And thats for the average family. How do you think I feel running on 98ron doing 200kays 4-5 times a week just to get to work and back. A full tank gets me to work 2 1/2 times.

dito dito i no exactly how u feel...

[Smoke Pursuit]

Yeh yeh, the cost of living goes up big deal, work harder and make more money is my moto..

Flame suit on, but im a true believer in the fact that you get what you put in, if your not earning enough income to live comfortibly then either gain a new skill and further your education so you are worth more money, or get another job that pays better.

We can all whinge forever about the cost of petrol and every other cost as they go up, but they will never come back down, its called inflation, live with it.

[Scott]

600k's a week at 17.5l/100km using Optimax Extreme at $1.52/Litre ~ $160/week.
GT-P Payments = $160/week
Running Costs = $100/week
Total = $420/week

To clear $420/week, I need to earn $551.00 every week (assuming that is from the least taxed part of my salary)

Fuel prices suck and the worst thing is that there is no clarity surrounding them.

Anyone want to swap a Focus??

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by qwigybo

a full tank gets me to work for 4 days... it's a joke i'll have more money in my pocket being on the dole soon... at least then i will use 1/4 the amount of petrol not having to drive anywhere

Ever thought about,

A) Getting a cheaper car.
B) Moving closer to work.
C) Gaining employment closer to your home.

With that attitude you may aswell be on the dole mate.

[RspecAU]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

Yeh yeh, the cost of living goes up big deal, work harder and make more money is my moto..

Flame suit on, but im a true believer in the fact that you get what you put in, if your not earning enough income to living comfortibly then either gain a new skill and further your education so you are worth more money, or get another job that pays better.

We can all whinge forever about the cost of petrol and every other cost as they go up, but they will never come back down, its called inflation, live with it.

It's people like you who make the cost of living go up like it cause you want is more money and don't buy australian made items. I gained an new skill last year in the form of a forklift licence and the company i work for still want let me use it.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by RspecAU

It's people like you who make the cost of living go up like it cause you want is more money and don't buy australian made items. I gained an new skill last year in the form of a forklift licence and the company i work for still want let me use it.

Here we go, I dont buy Australia Made items? What you've just said has very little to do with the topic. If your going to have a crack at someone think about it before you do. All im trying to say is Prices are going to go up regardless of how much people cry, therefore you have to budget your way around them...

No point in crying over spilt milk my friend, and sadly my purchasing power has very little to do with the Australian dollar, the price of crude oil, or inflation itself.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

Yeh yeh, the cost of living goes up big deal, work harder and make more money is my moto..

Yep, you'll do very well for yourself not caring about what things cost. I bet you wouldn't complain if your ISP was delivering you substandard speeds or charging you whatever the hell they wanted either. Oh, hang on, I hear you typing that you would just change ISP's! Try that with your "local" oil provider.

There a two major factors around fuel that p1ss everyone off;

Firstly, Oil Co's provide no clarity around an industry which clearly breaches US Antitrust Laws (not to mention Australian TPA) and the other being the Government via the taxes that we all pay (even though it's a %).

How well do you think an apprentice gets paid?
How well do you think a disabled person making letterboxes gets paid?
How much can a single mother with 3 kids spend on fuel?
Are you happy that an Oil Co dictates what you pay for your fruit & veg?

Feel free to sit back and take it up the a$$, I for one will continue to take advantage of discount offers from servo's to make my dollar go further and will make my vote count come election time as I'm sure most of society will too.

[brenx]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

Ever thought about,

A) Getting a cheaper car.
B) Moving closer to work.
C) Gaining employment closer to your home.

With that attitude you may aswell be on the dole mate.

Ever thought

a) not qualified for a closer/better job. Which leaves you on Austudy unable to pay bills for many years. Not feasable if 1) there is a mortgage b) any debt c) have children.
b) cheaper to run cars are gererally newer cars. Which are unobtainable for someone strapped for cash.
c) Moving close to work = dearer mortgage or expensive rent. Which leaves someone out of their depth.

Adjust your narrow minded opinions. I'm doing exactly the oppostite with my work.

I've just given up a position with my employer thats 5mins from my house. Why as the roster means my children will need full time childcare. Whats that mean? I means I'll be spending 1/3rd of my wage on childcare which I refuse to do.

I'm moving to a position 40 mins from my home with the same employer but are going night shift. Why? I will only need childcare 1 day per week. Yes my fuel bill will be dearer but not as dear as 5 days childcare per week.

There are people like yourself in politics and it's no wonder they have no idea how it works in the real world. Not everyone is single and has no debt.

One thing I am good at is crunching the number when it comes to the cost of living. Especially my own. I would never work close to home if it means I'll be financially deprived.

[Scott]

brenx, re moving, you forgot stamp duty, estab fee's & relocation costs too.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

All im trying to say is Prices are going to go up regardless of how much people cry, therefore you have to budget your way around them...

I admire the simplistic approach.

In your Brave New World where would you place carers? I'm sure that you'd be aware of the billions (yes billions) of tax payers dollars that are saved each year by extraordinary people who sacrifice their own comfort and well being in order to care for family and non-family members who are handicapped or otherwise unable to care for themselves.

Should these undervalued and underpaid people dump the hundreds of thousands of recipients into the public welfare system and pop off and get a job so that they can actually afford higher fuel costs?

Of course that means that a few of the comforts that you enjoy will have to have the funding reduced, but I guess that you could get a better job and pay for your own infrastructure.

I love it when a plan comes together....

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by GMH8TR

Yep, you'll do very well for yourself not caring about what things cost. I bet you wouldn't complain if your ISP was delivering you substandard speeds or charging you whatever the hell they wanted either. Oh, hang on, I hear you typing that you would just change ISP's! Try that with your "local" oil provider.

There a two major factors around fuel that p1ss everyone off;

Firstly, Oil Co's provide no clarity around an industry which clearly breaches US Antitrust Laws (not to mention Australian TPA) and the other being the Government via the taxes that we all pay (even though it's a %).

How well do you think an apprentice gets paid?
How well do you think a disabled person making letterboxes gets paid?
How much can a single mother with 3 kids spend on fuel?
Are you happy that an Oil Co dictates what you pay for your fruit & veg?

Feel free to sit back and take it up the a$$, I for one will continue to take advantage of discount offers from servo's to make my dollar go further and will make my vote count come election time as I'm sure most of society will too.

Mate I care about what things cost, but at the end of the day what can anyone achieve by crying about it? People have to learn that things have to go up as time goes on, Petrol has increased at an extremely quick rate but what can you do about it? Ever seen it go down in price?

If people cannot afford to put petrol in their cars then maybe they should go back to public transport, if you look back 20 or 30 years people did it just as tough with petrol prices at 2 cents a litre, personally I think we are all spoilt today and take things for granted.

As for your vote counting good luck, don't see how Labour is going to revert the price of petrol if they get in at the next election, which they won't!

[noosacuda]

In my next life i want to be a Politician,so i don't have to pay for my own petrol in my tax-payer funded V8 limo!

[brenx]

Originally Posted by GMH8TR

brenx, you forgot stamp duty, estab fee's & relocation costs too.

oh stamp duty? The exact stamp duty the GST was meant to be abolished a very long time ago. Got to love the gov't. I wish, I worked in politics. I'd be very rich bleeding everyone with tax's. I'd also be able to fund my own retirement on their lovely pensions. I think the gov't should get nothing more than a normal pension. I think, they'd change their tune pretty quickly.

[Smoke Pursuit]

You have Valid Points Brenx, but dont assume things.

I am 20 years old with a mortgage, a leased motor vehicle and trying to do a Degree, the only thing my parents have given me so far was a private highschool education and my first year at uni.

At the end of the day I dont have much money left after my bills are paid, i work 7 days a week between work and doing my commerce degree. For me increasing fuel prices are a part of life which there is no way passed, if they really bothered me id be driving a 4 cylinder that cost me $2,000.

Different people put things into different perspectives, but I seroiusly dont see where whinging about something that we have little control over will get us. As for those people who can't afford petrol then im sorry for them, but then again some of these people smoke and drink alcohol where as I don't.

[brenx]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

If people cannot afford to put petrol in their cars then maybe they should go back to public transport, if you look back 20 or 30 years people did it just as tough with petrol prices at 2 cents a litre, personally I think we are all spoilt today and take things for granted.

All well and good if there was adequate public transport in particular areas. If your not inner city? Your screwed.

A perfect example if my own situation 12 or so years ago. I used to catch public transport from near my home. Getting to work used to take 2.5 hours. In a car thats .5 hour max. I used to have to catch a train that passed the station I wanted to get off at (Huntingdale). I used to have to get off @ Oakleigh and catch a train back to Huntingdale. Which used to cost me an extra $12 to do. As Oakleigh = zone one 1 where I would have only needed to use zone 2 and 3 if public transport was adequate.

It used to cost me $54 for a week of train travel. I bought a car and it cost me $30pw. I also got to work in .5 of an hour not 2.5 hours.

Public transport isn't the answer to all transport problems. It goes well beyond that.

Different people put things into different perspectives, but I seroiusly dont see where whinging about something that we have little control over will get us. As for those people who can't afford petrol then im sorry for them.

The population of Australia have intervened before with certain items in politics. This would be something all of Australia's pollulation would have to pipe up about. They have before when it went up to $1.40. All of a sudden we had $1.05 within 7 days yet oil prices hadn't dropped. The public will speak at voting time but I think labour and liberal are as bad as each other. They both can't be trusted to support the low/average income earner. The low/average income earner is where they get most of there spending (oops I meant budget) money.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

I am 20 years old

Ok, ignore my previous reply to you.

You'll pick it up as you go along....

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by ronwest

Ok, ignore my previous reply to you.

You'll pick it up as you go along....

Right...

[RspecAU]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

Here we go, I dont buy Australia Made items? What you've just said has very little to do with the topic. If your going to have a crack at someone think about it before you do. All im trying to say is Prices are going to go up regardless of how much people cry, therefore you have to budget your way around them...

No point in crying over spilt milk my friend, and sadly my purchasing power has very little to do with the Australian dollar, the price of crude oil, or inflation itself.

Sorry that should of said "probably don't buy australian made". I'll cry about it as long as i want to that's my opinion. I don't care if no one wants to listen

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by RspecAU

Sorry that should of said "probably don't buy australian made". I'll cry about it as long as i want to that's my opinion. I don't care if no one wants to listen

I buy Australian Made Fords dont I?

I am a big fan of Australian made and Australian owned companys, but thats not the point here.

[Scott]

Who said Labour? Personally, they have a lot to work on before I'll consider them.

As for my vote, if no-one complained, there would be no election topics/promises.

Without forcing the Govt to make commitments change will never be effected. We are now a relatively debt free country with a massive household debt because debt was pulled from one bucket & put into another (our back pocket). For mine, fair compensation lies in tax breaks, better health care, better education, less tax on oil or even the by the forcing of Oil Co's to compete honestly for Australia's business. You will learn that the squeaky wheel get’s the oil in life. No pun intended.

Re Public Transport – have a deeper think.

Re Uni, no need to thank me for part-funding it for you, it’s just another tax.

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

You have Valid Points Brenx, but dont assume things.

I am 20 years old with a mortgage, a leased motor vehicle and trying to do a Degree, the only thing my parents have given me so far was a private highschool education and my first year at uni.

At the end of the day I dont have much money left after my bills are paid, i work 7 days a week between work and doing my commerce degree. For me increasing fuel prices are a part of life which there is no way passed, if they really bothered me id be driving a 4 cylinder that cost me $2,000.

Different people put things into different perspectives, but I seroiusly dont see where whinging about something that we have little control over will get us. As for those people who can't afford petrol then im sorry for them, but then again some of these people smoke and drink alcohol where as I don't.

When you grow up a bit you might discover that life is not as simple as your post implied. It is a bit arrogant for a 20 year old to be giving people with 2 or 3 times his/her life experience advise telling them to "work harder". You have a very simplistic view of the world. But, you will grow up. Dont go into politics. There are enough people with no idea about the REAL world running this place.
Peace.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by GMH8TR

Who said Labour? Personally, they have a lot to work on before I'll consider them.

As for my vote, if no-one complained, there would be no election topics/promises.

Without forcing the Govt to make commitments change will never be effected. We are now a relatively debt free country with a massive household debt because debt was pulled from one bucket & put into another (our back pocket). For mine, fair compensation lies in tax breaks, better health care, better education, less tax on oil or even the by the forcing of Oil Co's to compete honestly for Australia's business. You will learn that the squeaky wheel get’s the oil in life. No pun intended.

Re Public Transport – have a deeper think.

Re Uni, no need to thank me for part-funding it for you, it’s just another tax.

Part funding me? Im a full fee paying student thanks..

You have the right idea with respect to tax and the countries debt!

[Scott]

No HECS?

Edit - HELP?

[Smoke Pursuit]

No HECS,

Pay cash as I dont believe in hecs, plus i get a 25% discount straight up.

I dont need tax liabilities in the future. :

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

No HECS,

Pay cash due to my income otherwise i just have to pay it back neways. HECS is a joke as far as im concerned, its right for some battlers but alot of people are just wasting it neways, sadly for them however one day they have to pay it back. :

Why is HECS a joke???

[Scott]

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

No HECS,

Pay cash due to my income otherwise i just have to pay it back neways. HECS is a joke as far as im concerned, its right for some battlers but alot of people are just wasting it neways, sadly for them however one day they have to pay it back. :

Ok, you still don't need to thank me then. How about 1st home owners grant?

[Smoke Pursuit]

Because half the people that use it waste it, I go to uni and see these people everyday, theres some true battlers out there that work their asses of to achieve what they want, theres other however that are just there for the ride, while some other poor bastard misses out. They have to pay it back eventually tho.