Fuel price app win for drivers

Motorists can now search for best deal

TASMANIAN motorists can now search for the cheapest fuel via a mobile phone app as part of a scheme designed to put downward pressure on prices.

The FuelCheck TAS free app and website is now live, after the state government announced in May it was introducing a mandatory real-time fuel price reporting scheme.

It means fuel retailers are required to update fuel prices in real time, which AttorneyGeneral Elise Archer said would provide greater transparency for consumers.

Ms Archer said a similar scheme in NSW had been successful, and the app was developed in conjunction with that state’s version.

Ms Archer said Tasmania had not yet experienced the benefits of falling global oil prices brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the time was right to introduce measures to fix it.

“We know that Tasmanians rely on their car to get around. We’d like people of course to use public transport a bit more and carpool as well but this is a significant measure for Tasmanian motorists,’’ she said.

“It’s also significant for fuel retailers both large and small.”

She said it would help lower the cost of living.

The RACT welcomed the move, with the state’s peak motoring body saying it had been pushing for real-time fuel pricing for some time.

“Real-time fuel price reporting means Tasmanians can go online and find the best possible price in their area,’’ RACT chief member experience officer Stacey Pennicott said.

“This empowers consumers to find out where the cheapest fuel is before they even leave their driveway and helps put downward pressure on prices.”

Ms Pennicott said the experience of other states like NSW showed the scheme worked.

Ms Archer said more than 230 fuel retailers had already registered for the scheme and had started reporting fuel prices.

“The government will closely monitor this and if it doesn’t have the desired impact in driving fuel prices down, then we reserve the right to take further measures,’’ she said.

The scheme has been established via a code of practice which recently passed both houses of parliament.

The registration and testing of the app resulted in some delay in it going live to the public.

The government encouraged motorists to visit www.fuelcheck.tas.gov.au to find the lowest fuel prices.