Auckland petrol stations are charging up to $4 per litre as the Middle East oil crisis hammers New Zealand, with multiple service stations running completely dry.
BP New Lynn hit $4.039 for Ultimate 98, while Mobil Walmsley Road in Favona reached the psychological $4 barrier for both 91 and 98 octane. Eastern and southern Auckland suburbs are copping the worst of it.
Across the city, average prices jumped to $3.15 for 91 octane—up from $2.49 just over two weeks ago. That's the first time petrol has cracked $3 since June 2022.
Multiple Gull stations in Henderson, Onehunga, New Lynn, and Papatoetoe have run completely out of fuel. Z Energy suspended its Sharetank pre-purchase program, a telling sign of supply stress.
The cause? Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israeli strikes. One-fifth of global oil normally flows through that bottleneck, and right now it's sealed tighter than a Kiwi wallet.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis urged people not to panic-buy, telling the NZ Herald there are "about 50 days of petrol and diesel in the country, or on the way here, which is normal." She blamed empty stations on heavily discounted promotions drawing down stock.
Mate, New Zealand imports every drop of refined fuel it uses. When global supply chains seize up, Kiwis feel it immediately—and they feel it in the wallet.
The crisis exposes how vulnerable small Pacific nations are to great power conflicts thousands of kilometers away. Wellington has no strategic petroleum reserve, no refining capacity since Marsden Point closed in 2022, and no backup plan beyond hoping ships keep arriving.
For commuters already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis, $4 petrol isn't just expensive. It's a reminder that when superpowers start throwing punches in the , it's places like that get hit in the crossfire.
