Travel costs take toll in metropolitan area
HOUSEHOLDS across Queensland are paying an average of $445.69 per week just to get around, $77 more than the national average, new figures show.
And growing concerns about the rising cost of fuel remain the big issue for motorists across wider southeast Queensland.
The quarterly Transport Affordability Index from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) shows Brisbane households are spending some 17 per cent of their income on transport – a higher proportion than families in any other capital except for Hobart.
While motorists are paying some $9 less per week on overall transport costs than they were in the last quarter of 2021, they are paying an extra $10 per week at the petrol pump, and $53 per week on road tolls.
The cost of fuel shot up to $94.80 per week, despite the temporary halving of the federal government’s fuel excise, although average weekly car loan repayments have dropped by $20.65 over the past year – driven by a trend towards cheaper vehicles.
RACQ Head of Public Policy Susan Furze said the record high fuel prices had “greatly added to cost of living pressures faced by Queenslanders”.
“RACQ research shows convenience is the main reason drivers pull into a particular service station,” Ms Furze said.
“However, there can be up to 40 cents difference between the cheapest and most expensive sites, which is why it’s so important to use apps such as RACQ’s Fair Fuel Finder to do your research.”
AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley said the temporary halving of the fuel excise “doesn’t address longterm motoring tax issues and means $3.3 billion of foregone revenue is no longer available to be spent on vital safety upgrades of our transport network”.
“The fact is given we live in an era of rapid electrification and fuel efficiency gains means fuel excise is an unfair and unsustainable tax,” he said.
The AAA is calling for the major parties to outline plans for motoring tax reform.
A new survey of 1005 Australians by the market insights company Savvy found fuel was the primary cost-ofliving issue for nearly two in three respondents (64 per cent).