As I predicted, the price of gas is about to skyrocket in price again. At this instant petrol costs $1.78 per litre and diesel costs $1.24 per litre. All that’s about to change however as a raft of schemes organised by both the current and previous government finally kick in.

First up is the commencement of the much anticipated Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which could push the price of petrol and diesel up by as much as 8 cents per litre. The money collected from the extra fees is expected to be used to fund more eco-friendly and sustainable modes of transport. Somehow.

Sadly this warm eco-friendly feeling will be short-lived as many motorists have no alternative and still have to get to work and home again in towns and cities which have substandard or non-existent public transport options.

Next on the list of new, low-fat, high fibre fees is the increase in ACC levies. This is because the rate of people treating their cars like dodgems is increasing, and despite all the campaigns, people are still driving drunk in record numbers – with or without a drivers license.

While it’ll help ease the financial burden that crazy and/or drunk drivers create, it’s still going to sting the nation’s wallets like never before in just a couple of short months. Brace yourselves.

Finally, there’s the dreaded rise in GST that’s hurtling towards our heads like a cricket ball when you’re not looking. We’re reassured that the subsequent reduction in income tax will mean we’re ultimately better off, but I’d be quite happy to just leave it as it is – or reduce it to Australia’s level of 10%.

Right, now for the good news. Road User Charges (Road Tax) is still non-applicable to electric vehicles.
Add this to the fact that electric cars operate at a 1/3 of the overall cost of petrol cars and you can see why so many Kiwis have picked up a set of spanners and are busy converting their cars this winter.

Oh – and one more thing: I haven’t even mentioned the increasing price of oil…