How soaring transport and cost-of-living pressures are crippling Geelong households

A Belmont woman has told how she can’t afford to buy petrol as the crippling cost-of-living crisis heaps more pressure on struggling families.

Geelong resident Maryse Symons, can't afford petrol due to the rising cost of transport, and is concerned about the cost-of-living crisis affecting Geelong. Photo: David Smith.

A Belmont woman has told how she can’t afford to buy petrol as the crippling cost-of-living crisis heaps more pressure on struggling families.

Maryse Symons, 50, says she is having to ask charities for help to afford to put fuel in her car and says many like her are being forced to choose between “petrol, food or rent “ to survive.

Ms Symons, who is currently unemployed, said she typically spent $140 a fortnight on petrol.

“It costs me a fortune and I’m on limited funds,” she said.

“I don’t even go out anywhere, I just stay at home so I don’t have to use fuel.

“I simply can’t pay for it.”

Ms Symons says she is “embarrassed” to ask for help due to rising costs. Photo: David Smith.

The former disability support worker said she had been getting assistance from St Vinnies and the Salvation Army, through fuel stamps, so she can afford to attend job interviews.

“I can’t look for a job otherwise, it’s the only way I can survive,” she said.

“I’m embarrassed. I used to earn good money but now I have to ask people for help.”

Total transport costs for Geelong households have risen by $26.72 per week since March, to an average $396.13.

The figures, released by the AAA Transport Affordability Index on Sunday, take in fuel, car loan repayments and insurance, maintenance and public transport fares.

The report shows the rise was largely driven by the impact of rising car prices and higher interest rates on car loan payments.

Andrew Schauble, CEO of the Geelong Food Relief Centre, says he is seeing huge demand from “working poor” customers. Picture: Alan Barber

AAA managing director, Michael Bradley, said the cumulative effect of continually rising transport costs was “a heavy burden at a time when Australians are feeling cost-of-living pressures across the board.”

“Transport is a significant and unavoidable expense for households and is one of the key drivers of inflation,” he said.

“In the March quarter, the typical Australian household spent 15.8 per cent of its income transport, up from 15.1 per cent in the December quarter.”

It comes Geelong Food Relief Centre chief executive officer, Andrew Schauble, said demand for support services across Geelong “had never been so high.”

He had seen a 30 per cent increase in people needing to use his service.

“We have had to extend our hours for the mini mart due to the extra demand, including the working poor,” he said.

“Inflation and 11 interest rate rises in 11 months, it can’t help but have an impact on people.”

Originally published as How soaring transport and cost-of-living pressures are crippling Geelong households