Fuel price board confusion to end

New laws mean the fuel prices motorists see is the price they’ll pay at the bowser.

Treasurer and Acting Energy and Biofuels Minister Curtis Pitt said new ‘what you see is what you pay’ style regulations will ban fuel retailers from displaying confusing discounted prices on fuel price boards which aren’t available to all motorists.

“These strict regulations mean fuel retailers will still be able to promote discount fuel price schemes, but onlythe full price available to all motorists can be displayed on the price boards,” Mr Pitt said.

“These reforms have been introduced due to on-going concerns that some motorists may be paying more at the bowser than they were initially led to believe, which is typically when fuel retailers display prices that are only available to motorists who have a discount voucher or make an in-store purchase.”

The main elements of the laws are:

-       A ban on the display of conditionally discounted prices on fuel price boards, such as those that require a discount voucher or an in-store purchase; and

-       The coordination of prices changes so motorists never pay more at the bowser than the price advertised on the board.

Service station owners will have until the 31 January 2018 to implement the changes.

Mr Pitt said the reforms respond to concerns raised at the Palaszczuk Government’s Fuel Price Summit in 2016.

“Consensus at the summit was that the regulatory model in place in South Australia and Victoria is the preferred approach, and the new regulations will adopt this model rather than the more prescriptive and onerous approach adopted by NSW,” Mr Pitt said.

“The laws also follow comprehensive community and industry consultation undertaken by the Department of Energy and Water Supply earlier this year and support for the changes expressed by stakeholders including the RACQ and the Motor Trades Association of Queensland.

“Calls for truth in petrol price advertising has long been a burning issue for motorists.

“These reforms ensure the Government has the right balance of protecting motorists and avoiding high regulatory costs, which could unintentionally push petrol prices up.

“The LNP failed to deliver these reforms when in government despite the RACQ calling on the changes since 2012.

“The Nicholls-Newman government were all talk and no action, promising petrol price board reform for Queenslanders but did absolutely nothing about it in three years.”

A copy of the proposed regulation is available at www.dews.qld.gov.au. 

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