Techs on deck to drive fuel price trial

Published Thursday, 11 October, 2018 at 10:44 AM

JOINT STATEMENT

Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy
The Honourable Dr Anthony Lynham

Assistant Minister for Tourism Industry Development
Ms Meaghan Scanlon

Queensland-owned and operated IT gurus are at work on the behind-the-scenes technology that will help Queensland motorists find the cheapest servo in town.

Speaking at independent fuel retailer United Petroleum’s Carrara site today, Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said Queensland software engineer Informed Sources had been selected to develop the fit-for-purpose system that will collect and distribute fuel prices to fuel price app and web developers.

“Informed Sources has already started work on the aggregator software to ensure that Queensland motorists will be able to find the cheapest servo in town before Christmas,” Dr Lynham said.

“With fuel prices hitting a four year high in the past couple of weeks, our fuel price reporting trial is on schedule to put informed buying power into motorists’ hands before Christmas.

“The real solution to sky-high fuel prices lies in Scott Morrison’s hands, but the Palaszczuk Government is doing everything it can to help Queensland motorists.

“Over a third of what we are all paying at the bowser is going to the Morrison Government in tax, with fuel excise at 41.2 cents a litre.

Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon said Gold Coast motorists should be asking Federal Members of Parliament to stand up for them and get some relief.

“Steven Ciobo, Stuart Robert and Karen Andrew need to stand up for the Gold Coast and for Queensland motorists and tell the PM that fuel excise hikes have to stop,” she said.

“The big retailers are price-gouging and while he’s at it, the PM could give his independent consumer watchdog the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission some teeth to tackle this anti-competitive behaviour.”

The aggregator software will capture fuel prices from all Queensland service stations and provide it free to existing smartphone apps and websites such as Motormouth, GasBuddy, PetrolSpy, RACQ and Compare the Market. All retailers will be required to provide their prices within 30 minutes of the price changing at the bowser.

Informed Sources’ Asia Pacific regional manager Chris Huth said the company looked forward to delivering on the Queensland Government’s vision to further support Queensland motorists find the cheapest servo in town.

“Informed sources has a proven track record with over 30 years’ experience in delivering competitive information technology projects in the Australian petroleum industry similar to the aggregrator software required for the Queensland Government’s fuel price reporting trial,” Mr Huth said.

“We delivered price aggregation solutions in the oil sector locally and across the world including New Zealand, Germany, Sweden and Norway and we look forward to applying this global expertise to support the Queensland Government’s fuel price reporting trial.

“Our team is mobilised and ready to leverage our expertise to deliver a fit-for-purpose and innovative IT system that will deliver up-to-date fuel prices to Queensland motorists.”

The two-year fuel trial complements what you see is what you pay laws that came into effect 31 January this year. These laws require retailers to display full prices, rather than conditionally discounted offers, on their fuel boards.

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Media contact: Jan Martin 0439 341 314