I've just had an unexpected 3-week visit to Australia (due to the premature arrival of my 2nd grandson) - and after driving around for a while I realised how much I was paying for petrol. Generally it was between 1.45 and 1.60 AUD per litre for unleaded with 10% ethanol - the general-purpose fuel for most modern cars. Multiply that by the exchange rate of 0.55 AUD to GBP and you get approx £0.80 to £0.88 per litre. That is cheap when you consider that the average Aussie is earning more in real terms than the average Pom.

Bearing in mind that the Australian government is just as keen to gather as much tax from its customers as any other, I'm starting to feel severely ripped off by our beloved leaders...

(Sorry to start what is probably going to be a long thread, but it did annoy me!)

What's scary is that the UK isn't the most expensive... although I do find it hard to justify fuel costs (not just petrol, gas and electricity seem just as bad).

ISTR Turkey having very expensive fuel prices last time I was there and when I was in Nova Scotia 2 years ago the locals complaining ,I think they were paying about half of what we were at the time

Guess you could look at it this way... the government needs a certain amount of tax to do the things it does (whatever your opinion on those things!) and it's got to get it one way or another.

Just think! They could put it on your income tax instead!

The bright side Australia's economy is driven by mineral exports and Chinese demand is falling so their boom won't last forever! Miserable bastard, me!

Can't argue on the costs, but I think the average distance travelled in Oz is around 20,000 k per year which is probably a bit more than in England. It's certainly a significant part of our home and business running costs.

Yep - everything is so far apart!

I have no misapprehensions about Australia - it has its own problems (immigration, their economy, etc.) but they seem to manage without spending vast amounts in other countries, on defence, and so on. Its just that they don't seem as blatantly grasping as our government. Hence my comments about fuel tax.

As for their mining industry - I can't complain as my daughter works in recruitment for a major mining company! I can only wish them prosperity...

New Zealand prices are around $2.10/L or about £1.10. That sounds quite good but it's only 91 RON. Not every petrol station supplies 95 and very few supply 98, even in the cities. I think 95 is around $2.30/L so it's not too far off UK prices.