Global fuel supply disruptions

Staff and student support and University buying in the current environment sections added.

The University is closely monitoring the global fuel supply chain and its impact on New Zealand. This is an evolving situation, and we are operating in alignment with government advice.

As of 27 March 2026, New Zealand is at Response Phase 1, which means there is minimal impact on fuel distribution across the country. Tertiary providers have been advised by the Government to continue to deliver onsite and distance learning as normal, and student accommodation will continue similarly.    

Any significant changes to campus operations, travel policies, or support subsidies will be posted here.

You may also wish to review the Government’s New Zealand’s Fuel Response Plan factsheet [PDF] and their 27 March official press release.  

At this time, the New Zealand Government’s recommendation for tertiary providers is to continue to operate normally and for New Zealanders to access fuel as they normally would.

We remain committed to keeping the campus open and providing an engaging and vibrant University environment. Many of our students live within walking distance of campus and high numbers of staff are engaged in delivering learning and teaching or providing student support services.

At the same time, we acknowledge the impact that the current situation and higher fuel prices are having on staff, students and their families.

Staff

While the primary place of work for most staff is one of our University campuses, many teams already have flexible working approaches in place, supported by the University’s Flexible and remote working principles.

These principles encourage a leader-led approach, acknowledging that flexibility is not “one size fits all” and that not all roles will have access to the same forms of flexibility, including remote working.

At this point we encourage leaders to continue with previously agreed approaches and to consider how these might need to adapt as circumstances change. It is sensible to consider contingency planning for your specific role, course or research should constraints tighten in the future.

As fuel prices rise, leaders may receive requests for increased flexibility. For example, staff may ask to start work at home and travel to campus off-peak, or to work some or additional days remotely. Any such requests need to be balanced with the advantages of being on campus including the opportunity for collaboration, maintaining service levels for stakeholders and support for students.

We encourage staff to maintain open conversations with their line manager or academic head about their individual circumstances. We will continue to monitor the situation and consider how to support staff through this challenging period.

To ensure we are acting responsibly, for travel to destinations with no or other advisory warnings, please consider the following:

• Avoid all non-essential travel
  
• Send only one University representative instead of a larger delegation
• Use virtual meetings whenever possible to replace travel
• Plan for trip disruption by working with your line manager or academic head on a return contingency plan  

For travel to or through the Middle East, while there are currently no formal government restrictions on air travel, the University Executive Committee has decided that travel to countries in the Middle East region designated by MFAT SafeTravel as Level 3 (Avoid non-essential travel) or Level 4 (Do not travel) will not be approved until further notice.

From a travel insurance perspective, the risk is now known prior to travel, therefore the University’s travel insurance policy would not respond for any related claims.

Staff are advised to check MFAT SafeTravel advice level(s) for any upcoming travel destinations and any country or territory that they will transit through enroute to their final destination.

If any destinations have an MFAT SafeTravel advice level of ‘Avoid Non-Essential Travel’ or ‘Do Not Travel’ staff are requested to email the Risk Office as soon as possible.

Travellers on official international University travel have access to 24/7, worldwide medical and security support via our emergency travel assistance provider Healix.

• Phone +64 9 374 1736. Note: You will need to quote the Chubb policy number, NZBTAG08936125
  

Students

As of late 2025, most students receive a 40% discount on public transit through the tertiary student concession.

Staff

The University continues to progress work that was underway with Auckland Transport on a subsidised public transport scheme called Fareshare. This initiative has been fast-tracked, and we will share further details soon.

Staff also receive discounts on electric bicycles through the Electric Bike Team.  

Staff 

As part of the University's Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy, all permanent and fixed-term staff can access support through our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) [staff intranet].

Students

Students onshore in New Zealand can get personal support from one of our specialist support teams:

• Te Papa Manaaki | Campus Care
• University Health and Counselling Services

For general support, contact our faculty student support teams.

If you are suffering undue financial hardship, you may be eligible for short term, immediate hardship support. More information can be found at our Financial support page or by talking to your faculty student support team about other potential options.  

The University is operating in an environment of heightened energy price volatility and broader input cost pressure, influenced by global supply chain disruption and ongoing geopolitical instability. These conditions are likely to result in increased operating costs across fuel, energy, logistics and supplier pricing more generally.

In this context, staff are asked to maintain a strong awareness of cost. Before committing to expenditure, consider whether the purchase is necessary at this time, whether demand can be reduced, or whether alternative approaches are available.

If you are contacted by a supplier about increased costs due to fuel surcharges or cost escalation linked to external events, refer it to your Finance business partner [staff intranet]. They are the primary point of contact for cost and supply related concerns and play a central role in ensuring a consistent, coordinated response across the University, with Strategic Procurement support where required.

This approach supports financial resilience, value for money and prudent decision‑making during a period of elevated uncertainty.