❓ Minister Kobelke provides an update on the government's fuel price reform package, addressing public concerns about rising petrol prices and outlining measures to ensure transparency and compliance within the fuel industry, including charges laid against BP Australia Ltd.
AnsweredQoN 816Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FUEL PRICES, REFORM PACKAGE 816. Mr LOGAN to the Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection: Will the minister provide an update to the House on the Government’s fuel price reform package? Mr KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
This is a matter of wide public concern at present due to the rise in retail petrol prices. Shell Australia Ltd was first to increase its prices a few days ago by 10c a litre. Increases occur from time to time due to the price cycles that are peculiar to Australia and very much to the disadvantage of motorists. However, the price of fuel in Singapore, which Australia uses as a benchmark, has risen by 7c a litre since January this year. Fuel is available and can be obtained at or below the maximum wholesale price. Many retailers are locked into contracts, so that is of no use to them. Many retailers, who would like to access fuel at or below the maximum wholesale price, are being given excuses as to why they cannot do that. When they complain to the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, it is too late for them to provide the details so that it can prosecute. I say again to retailers that if they talk to us about the requirements for a successful prosecution and they have been given excuses such as fuel is unavailable - one of the common excuses - we will examine the details and mount a proper prosecution to ensure its success. As part of that, forensic auditors have examined in detail the books of all the major fuel suppliers. The information collected comprises 30 lever arch files and four boxes of documents. It is being assessed to ensure that the Government has a clear understanding of the complex procedures involved in the sale of fuel. To ensure that those procedures are transparent, the Government has bent over backwards in working with the fuel companies to ensure they comply with the regulations. However, the situation has reached the stage that leeway can no longer be given if a company fails to comply with the regulations. On that basis charges were laid against BP Australia Ltd by summons this week for two alleged offences under the declared terminals provisions of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act. These charges relate to the failure to publish and display spot and average wholesale prices at BP terminals. This is a very clear indication to not only BP but also all other fuel suppliers that they must meet the regulatory requirements to ensure transparency and fuel availability at the maximum wholesale price. Through that greater transparency we will continue successfully to ensure that the motorists of Western Australia receive fuel at the lowest possible price through a fair, competitive and transparent system.
FUEL PRICES, REFORM PACKAGE
Will the minister provide an update to the House on the Government’s fuel price reform package? Mr KOBELKE replied: This is a matter of wide public concern at present due to the rise in retail petrol prices. Shell Australia Ltd was first to increase its prices a few days ago by 10c a litre. Increases occur from time to time due to the price cycles that are peculiar to Australia and very much to the disadvantage of motorists. However, the price of fuel in Singapore, which Australia uses as a benchmark, has risen by 7c a litre since January this year. Fuel is available and can be obtained at or below the maximum wholesale price. Many retailers are locked into contracts, so that is of no use to them. Many retailers, who would like to access fuel at or below the maximum wholesale price, are being given excuses as to why they cannot do that. When they complain to the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, it is too late for them to provide the details so that it can prosecute. I say again to retailers that if they talk to us about the requirements for a successful prosecution and they have been given excuses such as fuel is unavailable - one of the common excuses - we will examine the details and mount a proper prosecution to ensure its success. As part of that, forensic auditors have examined in detail the books of all the major fuel suppliers. The information collected comprises 30 lever arch files and four boxes of documents. It is being assessed to ensure that the Government has a clear understanding of the complex procedures involved in the sale of fuel. To ensure that those procedures are transparent, the Government has bent over backwards in working with the fuel companies to ensure they comply with the regulations. However, the situation has reached the stage that leeway can no longer be given if a company fails to comply with the regulations. On that basis charges were laid against BP Australia Ltd by summons this week for two alleged offences under the declared terminals provisions of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act. These charges relate to the failure to publish and display spot and average wholesale prices at BP terminals. This is a very clear indication to not only BP but also all other fuel suppliers that they must meet the regulatory requirements to ensure transparency and fuel availability at the maximum wholesale price. Through that greater transparency we will continue successfully to ensure that the motorists of Western Australia receive fuel at the lowest possible price through a fair, competitive and transparent system.
Mr KOBELKE replied: This is a matter of wide public concern at present due to the rise in retail petrol prices. Shell Australia Ltd was first to increase its prices a few days ago by 10c a litre. Increases occur from time to time due to the price cycles that are peculiar to Australia and very much to the disadvantage of motorists. However, the price of fuel in Singapore, which Australia uses as a benchmark, has risen by 7c a litre since January this year. Fuel is available and can be obtained at or below the maximum wholesale price. Many retailers are locked into contracts, so that is of no use to them. Many retailers, who would like to access fuel at or below the maximum wholesale price, are being given excuses as to why they cannot do that. When they complain to the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, it is too late for them to provide the details so that it can prosecute. I say again to retailers that if they talk to us about the requirements for a successful prosecution and they have been given excuses such as fuel is unavailable - one of the common excuses - we will examine the details and mount a proper prosecution to ensure its success. As part of that, forensic auditors have examined in detail the books of all the major fuel suppliers. The information collected comprises 30 lever arch files and four boxes of documents. It is being assessed to ensure that the Government has a clear understanding of the complex procedures involved in the sale of fuel. To ensure that those procedures are transparent, the Government has bent over backwards in working with the fuel companies to ensure they comply with the regulations. However, the situation has reached the stage that leeway can no longer be given if a company fails to comply with the regulations. On that basis charges were laid against BP Australia Ltd by summons this week for two alleged offences under the declared terminals provisions of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act. These charges relate to the failure to publish and display spot and average wholesale prices at BP terminals. This is a very clear indication to not only BP but also all other fuel suppliers that they must meet the regulatory requirements to ensure transparency and fuel availability at the maximum wholesale price. Through that greater transparency we will continue successfully to ensure that the motorists of Western Australia receive fuel at the lowest possible price through a fair, competitive and transparent system.
This is a matter of wide public concern at present due to the rise in retail petrol prices. Shell Australia Ltd was first to increase its prices a few days ago by 10c a litre. Increases occur from time to time due to the price cycles that are peculiar to Australia and very much to the disadvantage of motorists. However, the price of fuel in Singapore, which Australia uses as a benchmark, has risen by 7c a litre since January this year. Fuel is available and can be obtained at or below the maximum wholesale price. Many retailers are locked into contracts, so that is of no use to them. Many retailers, who would like to access fuel at or below the maximum wholesale price, are being given excuses as to why they cannot do that. When they complain to the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, it is too late for them to provide the details so that it can prosecute. I say again to retailers that if they talk to us about the requirements for a successful prosecution and they have been given excuses such as fuel is unavailable - one of the common excuses - we will examine the details and mount a proper prosecution to ensure its success. As part of that, forensic auditors have examined in detail the books of all the major fuel suppliers. The information collected comprises 30 lever arch files and four boxes of documents. It is being assessed to ensure that the Government has a clear understanding of the complex procedures involved in the sale of fuel. To ensure that those procedures are transparent, the Government has bent over backwards in working with the fuel companies to ensure they comply with the regulations. However, the situation has reached the stage that leeway can no longer be given if a company fails to comply with the regulations. On that basis charges were laid against BP Australia Ltd by summons this week for two alleged offences under the declared terminals provisions of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act. These charges relate to the failure to publish and display spot and average wholesale prices at BP terminals. This is a very clear indication to not only BP but also all other fuel suppliers that they must meet the regulatory requirements to ensure transparency and fuel availability at the maximum wholesale price. Through that greater transparency we will continue successfully to ensure that the motorists of Western Australia receive fuel at the lowest possible price through a fair, competitive and transparent system.
FUEL PRICES, REFORM PACKAGE
Will the minister provide an update to the House on the Government’s fuel price reform package? Mr KOBELKE replied: This is a matter of wide public concern at present due to the rise in retail petrol prices. Shell Australia Ltd was first to increase its prices a few days ago by 10c a litre. Increases occur from time to time due to the price cycles that are peculiar to Australia and very much to the disadvantage of motorists. However, the price of fuel in Singapore, which Australia uses as a benchmark, has risen by 7c a litre since January this year. Fuel is available and can be obtained at or below the maximum wholesale price. Many retailers are locked into contracts, so that is of no use to them. Many retailers, who would like to access fuel at or below the maximum wholesale price, are being given excuses as to why they cannot do that. When they complain to the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, it is too late for them to provide the details so that it can prosecute. I say again to retailers that if they talk to us about the requirements for a successful prosecution and they have been given excuses such as fuel is unavailable - one of the common excuses - we will examine the details and mount a proper prosecution to ensure its success. As part of that, forensic auditors have examined in detail the books of all the major fuel suppliers. The information collected comprises 30 lever arch files and four boxes of documents. It is being assessed to ensure that the Government has a clear understanding of the complex procedures involved in the sale of fuel. To ensure that those procedures are transparent, the Government has bent over backwards in working with the fuel companies to ensure they comply with the regulations. However, the situation has reached the stage that leeway can no longer be given if a company fails to comply with the regulations. On that basis charges were laid against BP Australia Ltd by summons this week for two alleged offences under the declared terminals provisions of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act. These charges relate to the failure to publish and display spot and average wholesale prices at BP terminals. This is a very clear indication to not only BP but also all other fuel suppliers that they must meet the regulatory requirements to ensure transparency and fuel availability at the maximum wholesale price. Through that greater transparency we will continue successfully to ensure that the motorists of Western Australia receive fuel at the lowest possible price through a fair, competitive and transparent system.
Mr KOBELKE replied: This is a matter of wide public concern at present due to the rise in retail petrol prices. Shell Australia Ltd was first to increase its prices a few days ago by 10c a litre. Increases occur from time to time due to the price cycles that are peculiar to Australia and very much to the disadvantage of motorists. However, the price of fuel in Singapore, which Australia uses as a benchmark, has risen by 7c a litre since January this year. Fuel is available and can be obtained at or below the maximum wholesale price. Many retailers are locked into contracts, so that is of no use to them. Many retailers, who would like to access fuel at or below the maximum wholesale price, are being given excuses as to why they cannot do that. When they complain to the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, it is too late for them to provide the details so that it can prosecute. I say again to retailers that if they talk to us about the requirements for a successful prosecution and they have been given excuses such as fuel is unavailable - one of the common excuses - we will examine the details and mount a proper prosecution to ensure its success. As part of that, forensic auditors have examined in detail the books of all the major fuel suppliers. The information collected comprises 30 lever arch files and four boxes of documents. It is being assessed to ensure that the Government has a clear understanding of the complex procedures involved in the sale of fuel. To ensure that those procedures are transparent, the Government has bent over backwards in working with the fuel companies to ensure they comply with the regulations. However, the situation has reached the stage that leeway can no longer be given if a company fails to comply with the regulations. On that basis charges were laid against BP Australia Ltd by summons this week for two alleged offences under the declared terminals provisions of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act. These charges relate to the failure to publish and display spot and average wholesale prices at BP terminals. This is a very clear indication to not only BP but also all other fuel suppliers that they must meet the regulatory requirements to ensure transparency and fuel availability at the maximum wholesale price. Through that greater transparency we will continue successfully to ensure that the motorists of Western Australia receive fuel at the lowest possible price through a fair, competitive and transparent system.
This is a matter of wide public concern at present due to the rise in retail petrol prices. Shell Australia Ltd was first to increase its prices a few days ago by 10c a litre. Increases occur from time to time due to the price cycles that are peculiar to Australia and very much to the disadvantage of motorists. However, the price of fuel in Singapore, which Australia uses as a benchmark, has risen by 7c a litre since January this year. Fuel is available and can be obtained at or below the maximum wholesale price. Many retailers are locked into contracts, so that is of no use to them. Many retailers, who would like to access fuel at or below the maximum wholesale price, are being given excuses as to why they cannot do that. When they complain to the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, it is too late for them to provide the details so that it can prosecute. I say again to retailers that if they talk to us about the requirements for a successful prosecution and they have been given excuses such as fuel is unavailable - one of the common excuses - we will examine the details and mount a proper prosecution to ensure its success. As part of that, forensic auditors have examined in detail the books of all the major fuel suppliers. The information collected comprises 30 lever arch files and four boxes of documents. It is being assessed to ensure that the Government has a clear understanding of the complex procedures involved in the sale of fuel. To ensure that those procedures are transparent, the Government has bent over backwards in working with the fuel companies to ensure they comply with the regulations. However, the situation has reached the stage that leeway can no longer be given if a company fails to comply with the regulations. On that basis charges were laid against BP Australia Ltd by summons this week for two alleged offences under the declared terminals provisions of the Petroleum Products Pricing Act. These charges relate to the failure to publish and display spot and average wholesale prices at BP terminals. This is a very clear indication to not only BP but also all other fuel suppliers that they must meet the regulatory requirements to ensure transparency and fuel availability at the maximum wholesale price. Through that greater transparency we will continue successfully to ensure that the motorists of Western Australia receive fuel at the lowest possible price through a fair, competitive and transparent system.
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