Nine To Noon Around the motu: Torika Tokalau in Auckland
Mar 15, 2026
Torika Tokalau, a Stuff Local Democracy reporter in Auckland, gives on-the-ground updates about local life. She covers fuel container shortages and panic buying, scrutiny of petrol pricing, a CBD shisha lounge facing licensing questions, a new rock‑pool collection ban on North Auckland shores, and a Pukekohe animal adoption centre celebrating its first year.
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Can Shortage, Not Fuel Shortage
- Panic over fuel shortages was driven by people buying petrol cans, not actual fuel shortages.
- Supercheap Auto and some Gull stations sold out of 20-litre canisters as customers tried to stockpile amid global oil price fears after the Iran war.
Price Anxiety Fueled By Global Events
- Rising global oil prices after the Iran war triggered price-sensitivity and social media sharing of petrol prices.
- Shoppers cited wanting cheaper fuel and used discount-day posts to find lower local pump prices.
Regulators Watching Pump Prices
- The Commerce Commission is monitoring retail price moves and will publicly call out unjustified pump price hikes.
- Regulators expect retail increases to align with actual source-cost movements and warn of scrutiny.