The Competition Policy & Consumer Affairs Minister Chris Bowen today called on Brendan Nelson to guarantee the passage of FuelWatch legislation through both house of parliament to give much needed certainty and relief to Australian motorists.
The Prime Minister announced yesterday that the Federal Government intends to introduce a National FuelWatch Scheme that will help motorists buy the cheapest petrol, at the cheapest petrol stations, at the cheapest times.
“While it was expected that oil companies would be opposed to a National FuelWatch Scheme, I never thought that the Federal Liberal Party would be so quick to oppose a plan that will benefit motorists and families,” Competition Policy & Consumer Affairs Minister, Chris Bowen said.
“Today the Leader of the Opposition appears to be opposing FuelWatch, so I have written to Brendan Nelson asking him to re-consider his position on FuelWatch and support its passage through the Parliament so motorists can enjoy the benefits of FuelWatch before Christmas.
“FuelWatch will be crucial to giving motorists detailed and up to date information about local prices. Information they simply don’t have access to at the moment.
“Under FuelWatch, the days of motorists driving past a petrol station in the morning only to return in the afternoon to find a 10 cent per litre jump in the price of petrol will be over.
“The econometric analysis undertaken by the ACCC indicates that not only has the introduction of FuelWatch in WA seen petrol prices around 1.9 cents per litre less on average, on the low points of the current weekly cycle, like Tuesdays, motorists were still paying less in Western Australia under FuelWatch, an average about one cent per litre less.”
For a well-informed argument on FuelWatch, Dr Nelson should look no further than the comments of the leader of the NSW Liberal Party Barry O’Farrell.
Mr O’Farrell has said:
“[FuelWatch] will also ease some of the wild fluctuations in weekly pricing which frustrate motorists so much …This will ease the burden on families and pensioners by helping drive down petrol prices … FuelWatch will put motorists – not the oil companies – back in charge…It will put an end the common frustration for motorists of driving past a petrol station only to find when they return hours later the price has jumped by ten cents a litre.” (Media Release – ‘O’Farrell to introduce FuelWatch to lower petrol prices’, March 20th 2008)
Yesterday, NSW Opposition Fair Trading spokesperson Catherine Cusack said:
"Mr Rudd has shown leadership…we think it's good news for motorists and we're quite happy to come out and congratulate the federal Labor government for doing it. (AAP, April 15th)
“The NSW and WA Liberal Party both support FuelWatch because of the obvious benefits for motorists,” Mr Bowen said.
“If the Leader of the Opposition isn’t going to support FuelWatch then he needs to come forward with his plans for petrol because the Shadow Minister for Finance, Peter Dutton is running around the country promising that the Liberal Party would deliver lower petrol and grocery prices.”
‘I think Brendan Nelson would have a greater capacity to deliver lower petrol prices for families and lower grocery prices…’ (Interview on Skynews, 12 Midday, 14/4/2008)
“The Liberal Party needs to come forward and be honest with the Australian people and say whether or not they will hold up FuelWatch in the parliament and if they are opposed to it, what are their plans for reducing petrol prices?” Mr Bowen said.
Media Contact: James Cullen - 0409 719 879