CHRISTINE FLATLEY
January 22, 2018
Australian Associated Press
Motoring groups have called on the Queensland government to urgently address the state’s skyrocketing fuel prices.
Drivers in Brisbane were paying up to 30 cents a litre more on Monday than they were a week ago, with prices jumping to around $1.50 a litre.
The RACQ said on Monday rising oil prices have pushed the top of this price cycle even higher than usual, but accused big operators like BP and Coles of price-gouging.
“They’re the worst offenders for jacking up the prices – they go first and then the rest follow,” spokeswoman Renee Smith told AAP.
She said motorists should boycott the big players and shop around to get the best price.
She said a government-funded real-time fuel pricing phone app would make this easier, and would help hold retailers accountable.
A similar scheme has already been rolled out in NSW, where it is compulsory for service stations to notify the government when prices go up or down.
“The Queensland government should look to what they have done in NSW,” she said.
“We need to empower motorists as much as possible so they can know where the best price is, and they don’t have to waste time driving around looking for the cheapest fuel.”
Ms Smith said petrol price board regulation – which makes it illegal for retailers to display conditionally discounted prices – would make it clearer for motorists when it is introduced in Queensland at the end of January.
Price-monitoring agency Fueltrac flagged the appointment of a new fuel commissioner and the introduction of capped profit margins as another solution to the high prices.
However, Ms Smith said the RACQ was not convinced this was the best solution.
“We’re not sold on that idea because if we cap prices then they may not move around as much and they might just stay high all the time,” she said.
The Queensland government has been contacted for comment.
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