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NewsGood news for regional motorists and grey nomads
Good news for regional motorists and grey nomads

Good news for regional motorists and grey nomads

Tags: Consumer Action Cost of Living Energy
Last updated by Joel Gibson on

Screen Shot 2014-12-17 at 12.01.52 PMGood news today – especially for regional members and grey nomads –  as the consumer watchdog gets new powers to monitor petrol prices and hunt for price gouging.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will now issue quarterly reports on petrol prices, and conduct in-depth investigations into problem areas.

Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs Bruce Billson told the ABC today the ACCC would conduct about four “deep dive” investigations into fuel markets that are a concern due to unexplained high prices.

He named the Shoalhaven in NSW, the Northern Territory and some parts of Melbourne’s west as target areas.

“It’s a closer examination of pricing and margins, of supply impacts, of even the state of competition in particular markets,” he said.

“We’ve seen even in capital cities as the price of oil’s come down, the price at the bowser has come down more quickly in some capital cities than others.”

This is especially good news for regional areas, where a lack of competition often means the capital city price cycle doesn’t exist. Regions are also missing out on the ACCC’s new daily advice website on when is the best time to buy petrol.

(By the way, if you live in any of the capital cities, the ACCC’s analysts are saying NOW is the time to buy, with average ULP prices uniformly below $1.30 today).
Originally posted on .

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Jim
Jim from QLD commented:

What happened to Petrol Prices in general in the Cairns area? Its always 20-30cents more than Brisbane. 

gary
gary from QLD commented:

head to North Queensland for the price gougers, still a$1.60 ,every where else even Brisbaine is $1.40 

Ken
Ken from QLD commented:

It is indeed a sad state of affairs when someone makes such a claim of 'good news' without any basis for that claim. I understand that in that part of our state that is commonly referred to as 'the Great South East', price of unleaded petrol is around 127 to 130 cents per litre. In Toowoomba and Dalby, the price is 142 to 145 cents. The great south east area is where the 'don't cares' live - ie they couldn't give a damn about the rest of the state and think that life in other regions of OUR state is as rosy as in the 'great south east'. 

David
David from NSW commented:

The ACCC should be investigating the Wollongong Area. David. 

Lois
Lois from NSW commented:

Another region that should be looked at is the Southern Highlands NSW. We are still being charged 139.5 here in Bowral, but on a trip down to Albion Park I saw prices of 116.9 and 118.9. We are about the same distance from Sydney so why the price gough up here. One independant from Albion Park also owns an outlet at Robertson and he is charging the same up here. 118.9 I know where I will be going in future. It will cost me to travel over there, but it is the principal. How were Coles & Woolworths ever allowed to get into the petrol business ?????? They have been robbing us blind for years. Regards Lois Ely 

ruth
ruth from NSW commented:

central coast fuel prices never or rarely move down in comparison to city prices I think this is grossly unfair to commuters 

Warren
Warren from NSW commented:

Watching/monitoring/explaining petrol pricing when there are so many variables - exchange rates, oil cartels, OECD, tax excise, consumer patterns, Politics, changes in consumer energy choice (Gas, Diesel, shale oil, etc.), industry price management, and many more useless trends is just plain nonsensical. There are more important things in life. Happy Christmas. 

Peter
Peter from NSW commented:

Good news???? It,s dropped a whole 1cent in central west nsw, from $1:45 to 1:44, big deal. 

John
John from NSW commented:

At The Oaks NSW I am advised by the private Service Station Owner marketing BP Petrol his prices are not associated with price cutting hence prices at the best of times do not aline with price cutting, as not a BP owned service station. I say What tha! E10 is not provided, as explained to only give 80% of the mileage per litre?? Higher Unleaded petrol prices are advertised, get this, based on the cost of each load of petrol per delivery from the delivery agent, not a BP Agent, then marked up accordingly. The prices rarely reflect any degree of similarity to Camden and Campbelltown and Picton price cutting by BP, Woolworths or Coles. At Camden we have a Caltex Star Service Station (Not Woolworths) same problem prices are always higher than anywhere else. Shopped there for 30 years when owned by Clifton Brothers, Shelll Distributors, Minto, but certainly do not buy petrol there anymore. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

If you live in the Gloucester/Stroud district, the price of unleaded is $1.59l at Stroud, and $1.54l at Stratford. It went down to $1.48 at Gloucester this week. 

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