The cost-of-living crunch felt by Aussie families this Easter long weekend — Western Sydney University experts available for interview

With cost-of-living pressures hitting Aussie families hard as school holidays get underway this Easter long weekend, Western Sydney University experts offer practical advice and insights on the fuel crisis and budget-friendly local fun, as well as a low‑stress approach to Easter treats, even if chocolate is limited.

Dr Amanda Craft, School of Business

“Fuel price spikes around long weekends reflect both predictable demand cycles and behavioural responses. Research on panic buying shows that when motorists anticipate shortages or price rises, they tend to fill up earlier and more often, which can temporarily push some metro and regional service stations out of certain fuels despite adequate overall supply. This can disrupt holiday travel at the margins, with some drivers facing limited availability or needing to detour, even though the broader system isn’t actually short on fuel at this stage.”

Dr Amanda Craft is an Australian academic specialising in financial decision making, with expertise spanning accounting, behavioural finance, and the economic systems that shape how individuals, businesses and industries respond in our changing global environment. She is a lecturer in accounting and personal financial planning at Western Sydney University and her research focuses on the behavioural and cultural dimensions of financial decision making. Her work sits at the intersection of finance, psychology and real-world systems, examining how people make financial decisions under pressure, particularly during periods of market volatility, supply chain disruption and economic uncertainty.

Associate Professor Michelle Cull, School of Business

“To help manage the long weekend budget, families might consider using public transport for their holiday travel. This can be exciting for children who do not usually travel on public transport - whether it be by bus, train or ferry. Day trips to parks, lakes, beaches, libraries or museums that have free or minimal entry costs can be both enjoyable and educational and are relatively inexpensive, especially if you prepare food and drink for the day to take with you.”

Associate Professor Michelle Cull is a leading academic in financial planning, with her research focusing on financial planning education, ethics in financial advice and financial inclusion. Michelle is co-editor of the Financial Planning Research Journal, Executive Vice President of the Academy of Financial Services in the United States, and member of Australia’s Financial Planning Education Council. Michelle led the development of the Personal Finance Basics microcredential and WalletSmart App, and co-founded the Western Sydney University Tax Clinic.

Dr Garth Lean, School of Social Sciences

“With conflict in the Middle East contributing to higher fuel costs, many Australians will weigh Easter travel plans more carefully this year. But that does not mean they need to give up on getting away. Regional escapes, train-based trips, and places that are easy to enjoy without a long drive can still offer a break and a change of scene, while feeling more manageable amid broader cost-of-living pressures. For many people, it can be an opportunity to explore closer to home, discover new places, spend time in local towns and cities, and enjoy new experiences without needing to go far or spend a lot of money.”

Dr Garth Lean is a tourism and travel specialist with more than 20 years of experience in research, training, governance, administration, planning and marketing roles with universities, government, industry, and professional bodies. He leads the tourism, hospitality and events disciplines at Western Sydney University, along with several research initiatives.

Professor Joseph Cheer

“Great travel experiences don’t have to be overseas or interstate. Instead, why not cast your gaze more locally to see what is in your ‘backyard’. Pack up the car and go for a drive outside of town, to the nearest national park, coastal town, or mountain village. Your pocket and the planet will be better off for it.”

Joseph Cheer is a Professor of Sustainable Tourism and Associate Dean, International in the School of Social Sciences. He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the leading journal Tourism Geographies and Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on the Future of Sustainable Tourism. His extensive body of work comprises books, journal articles, chapters, and non-traditional publications for outlets like The Conversation, World Economic Forum, Global Research Institute and UNESCO. Joseph has a developing quantitative social sciences research agenda and is particularly keen on the development of human flourishing indicators for tourism destination communities specifically, and with wider societal applications.

Dr Catharine Fleming, School of Medicine

“Easter is a wonderful time for kids and a time for enjoyment — it doesn’t need to be interrupted by nutritional guilt or strict food rules. When building a healthy relationship with food, feeding specialist Ellyn Satter recommends that instead of restricting or forbidding foods with less nutrient value such as chocolate, parents allow children to decide whether and how much to eat, helping them learn to listen to their own fullness cues.

“Easter only happens once a year and families may be buying less chocolate this year due to cost‑of‑living pressures, but if your child eats a lot of chocolate over the Easter period along with only a few other foods they normally do, remember not to panic as they will be OK.”

Dr Catharine Fleming is a Senior Lecturer in Public Health, and is experienced in paediatric nutrition, paediatric food allergy and childhood obesity. Dr Fleming is passionate about ensuring a sustainable nutritional change occurs for children and adolescents through co-designed and development of interventions by young people for young people.

To arrange an interview, please contact the respective academic directly or email media@westernsydney.edu.au.

ENDS.

2 April 2026
Photo credit: Aleyna Catak via Unsplash
Media Unit