Qld fuel price trial to start in December

SONIA KOHLBACHER
July 25, 2018
Australian Associated Press 
Queensland petrol retailers will be forced to publish price changes on smartphone apps within 30 minutes, starting from December.
Energy Minister Anthony Lynham announced on Wednesday the state government would kick off its two-year fuel price reporting trial at the end of the year.
Mr Lynham says the move does not guarantee a drop in fuel prices but will inform motorists which retailers are selling for less.
Prices will be published on existing smartphone apps and websites such as Motormouth, GasBuddy, PetrolSpy, RACQ and Compare the Market within 30 minutes of any change.
Retailers will be required to report changing prices to a private tech company which will pass the information on.
They face fines from April if they do not comply.
The state Labor government was initially against the measure but came around after a sustained campaign from motoring group RACQ.
The lobbyist says the move will drive savings at the bowser, where prices are some of the highest in the country.
“Fuel is one of the biggest expenses for Queenslanders,” RACQ’s head of public policy Rebecca Michael said.
“That’s why we lobbied so hard for drivers to have access to the latest fuel prices at each and every servo.”
The state’s Liberal National Party opposition has claimed a political win, saying the idea to disclose fuel prices in real time was theirs.
“It has been six months since I announced that policy and all this time the government’s been dithering,” Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said.
“Drivers need to start saving money and the government should just get on.”