CRACKDOWN ON SERVOS ADVERTISING FUEL DISCOUNTS ON BILLBOARDS:
Ban plan a bid to ensure price is always right on servo display boards
THE end of misleading prices displayed at petrol stations across the Far North is in sight.
The Palaszczuk Government has plans to ban displaying discounted prices that are only available with discount vouchers or in-store purchases on fuel price boards.
The reforms would mean fuel retailers could still promote their discounts but would also have to show the full prices to motorists.
Machans Beach Store and Post Office owner Mark Viney said prices displayed on fuel price boards should always reflect the actual cost of the petrol.
“Our petrol prices aren’t discounted here and I think our customers appreciate that they don’t have to do sums as they’re fuelling up,” he said.
“What we have displayed is exactly what we’re selling.”
Edge Hill motorist Naomi Styles said she had been deceived by discounted fuel signs in the past.
“It’s misleading because you think you’re getting a great deal but then you find out that’s a discounted price,” she said. “By then it’s too late because you’ve already pumped the petrol so you have to pay the price.”
She said Cairns motorists already had enough to worry about with sky-high petrol prices across the city without having to also be concerned about being misled.
“Don’t like the prices here at all, I don’t think they’re fair,” she said.
“If you look at all of the different places in Queensland you can see that there are plenty of places that you have to take petrol to, so it’s not fair that we’re copping the highest prices.”
RACQ spokesman Paul Turner said regulation of petrol price boards would give the power back to motorists.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath said the draft laws had been released for community and industry review.
“We want to ensure the Government gets the right balance of protecting consumers and also avoiding high regulatory costs, which could unintentionally push petrol prices up,” she said.
Motorists and fuel retailers are invited to have their say on the fuel price board regulations at dews.qld.gov.au/our-depart ment/consultations
IT’S MISLEADING BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU’RE GETTING A GREAT DEAL BUT THEN YOU FIND OUT THAT’S A DISCOUNTED PRICE EDGE HILL MOTORIST NAOMI STYLES