Fuel prices and cost of living: What does it mean for rural Māori communities?

Rural communities are calling on the Government to take action on the skyrocketing price of fuel.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced temporary relief from fuel taxes and road user charges, slashing it by 25 cents a litre for the next three months.

But rural communities are calling on the Government to take action on the skyrocketing price of fuel and the general cost-of-living crisis.

Fuel prices have soared passed the $3 mark, and Ardern says it's due to a "global energy crisis" after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In rural towns like Kawerau, people rely on fuel to get to work and to connect with whānau, because Kawerau was established in the 1950s, therefore not a place where many people have family ties too.

Māori development expert Dr Jani Wilson told the Herald that the small town functions on the forestry industry and the mill.

"It puts [workers] further in a hard situation with petrol, majority of the people who work at the mill come from outside Kawerau," she said, and many of the Kawerau residents work in outer towns.

"A good proportion of people have jobs, but there's a lot of unemployment in Kawerau."

This means that workers would be spending a lot of their income just to get to and from work.

Maria McRae lives in Maketu, just under an hour's drive to the Tasman Mill in Kawerau where she works.

For McRae, whānau is a crucial component to surviving the cost of living, but understands that many Māori across NZ will not have that advantage, particularly families in Kawerau.

What would usually cost $80 to fill McRae's Mazda, it now costs $190 with petrol prices sitting at $3.08 a litre in her area.

"We were told that the gas prices were going up to $3.80, so we thought we better fill our cars before that happens."

"My husband's truck runs on diesel; it wasn't empty and it cost him $120 to reach full."

"We have a smaller run-around car for the kids, it was $90 to fill."

The McRae family spent $400 just to fill three vehicles in hopes it would last the week.

Wilson highlights there is a prevalence of gangs in Kawerau and not enough employment opportunities targeting 18-year-olds and over.

With further barriers in place like the rise in fuel prices, it pushes rangatahi (youth) to join gangs.

"In terms of impoverishment, our whānau do the best they can," she said. But, "it's not about living anymore, it's about surviving."

Tangihanga which is a cultural custom for funerals in Māori culture, is expected to see lower numbers of people attending now, because people in Kawerau are unable to afford the travel.

The town sits on the cusp of Ngati Awa, Ngāi Tuhoe and Ngāti Tūwharetoa. The town's residents are from a mix of iwi, and tangihanga takes place in the cities where they're from.

"In order to save money, it's now something people have to consider missing out."
Ultimately, devastating news for Māori whose culture thrives on connecting with whānau.

The current state of living has raised concerns for kaumātua who aren't working, and people questioning whether or not they can afford to retire.

"Working at the mill has a physical impact," McRae said.

"You can see the physical effect and the ageing effect it has on someone."

But the current cost of living means people at 65 years old may be unable to retire.