Whitlam MP Stephen Jones has called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to conduct an investigation into petrol prices in the Southern Highlands.
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In a letter, sent to the ACCC in response to reports in the Southern Highland News, Mr Jones urged the ACCC to “investigate the high cost of unleaded fuel… and advise on what can be done to address the high cost of fuel”.
Mr Jones said two years ago, in 2016, Bill Shorten made the commitment that a Labor government would give Australia’s competition watchdog an independent market studies power.
This would allow the watchdog to independently target problem markets, like the petrol supply chain, and ensure they were delivering for Australian consumers.
“Under a Labor government, the competition watchdog will have a free rein to identify competition problems before they wreak havoc. They will be able to set out possible solutions and pursue any relevant penalties under existing laws,” Mr Jones said.
“Labor will also double the funding the consumer watchdog can use to pursue anti-competitive businesses in court.” Mr Jones encouraged the opposition to take a more proactive approach in lowering prices.
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“In 2016 – around the same time Bill Shorten was committing to give Australia’s competition watchdog an independent market studies power – Angus Taylor said he would alert the ACCC to high petrol prices in the Southern Highlands, citing prices of around $1.06 - $1.07 per litre in Goulburn,” he said.
“Mr Taylor has been in government for two years since, and you don’t have to look very hard to see prices have blown out under this Coalition government.”
On Tuesday morning, Coalition MPs called on the government to reduce the petrol excise tax and expand forced divestiture powers in order to lower prices.
Across regional NSW, average regular unleaded prices fell 0.4 cents per litre in the past week, while diesel prices fell 0.1 cents per litre, according to the NRMA.
Out of 57 locations, Moss Vale was the dearest for diesel in regional NSW at 171.2 cents per litre at the close of business on October 28. Up the road at Mittagong, the price of diesel was 167.4 cents per litre.
Meanwhile Moss Vale regular unleaded petrol prices fell 2.5 cents per litre from the previous week to 162.6 cents per litre. The price for regular unleaded petrol prices in Mittagong was 162.5 cents per litre.
Hume MP Angus Taylor’s office was contacted for comment.
