Regional Motorists Deserve Answers on LPG, says Hartsuyker

January 21, 2009

Motorists on NSW’s  North Coast were today (Wednesday) paying up to 75 per cent more for LPG than motorists in Sydney, said Shadow Consumer Affairs Minister Luke Hartsuyker.

According to fuel price monitors Motormouth, LPG could be bought at a service station in Petersham for 39.9 cents per litre (cpl) and at a significant number of other retailers for less than 43cpl.   On the North Coast of NSW, many retailers were charging 69.9cpl, up to 30cpl more.

 

“Regional motorists quite rightly ask how this price difference can be justified,” said Mr Hartsuyker.  “We’re talking about the same product being sold in Sydney and in regional areas and yet motorists have to pay 30cpl more.  Of course, the rural and urban markets are different but they’re not that different and motorists understandably think they’re being taken for a ride.  I have today written to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Petrol Commissioner, who is supposed to look after motorists’ interests, asking for an explanation for this price discrepancy.”

 

Mr Hartsuyker’s letter follows yesterday’s call from The Nationals for the ACCC to investigate the increasing price gap between diesel and petrol.  “What we need from the ACCC is either decisive action to end the price disparity on LPG and diesel or a convincing explanation why regional motorists are paying far more than motorists in the cities,” said Mr Hartsuyker.

 

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