New Zealand Eliminates Fuel Discount After 15 Months

New Zealanders lined up at gas stations this week to get the last pump of government fuel discount, as the subsidy ended on Friday after 15 months.
The full fuel tax was reintroduced on Saturday, which means the removal of the 25 cents per liter tax discount Kiwi drivers enjoyed over the past 15 months, Xinhua reported.
The tax discount subsidy started in March last year to help New Zealanders cope with soaring fuel prices and the cost of living.
The rising fuel price burdened many New Zealanders during the first few months of last year.
The price hike will also affect the income of Uber drivers.
Meanwhile, the discount on road user charges ended on Saturday. Half-price public transport was also replaced by normal prices for most adults. However, from Saturday, children of ages 5-12 are able to use public transport free of charge and half-price discounts remain for those aged 13-24.
The New Zealand economy is grappling with high inflation and rising interest rates.
The country entered an economic recession, as the gross domestic product fell for the second quarter, the statistics department Stats NZ announced earlier this month.