United front at bowser

UNITED Petroleum will open two new sites south of Cairns as retail competition drums down the region’s notoriously high fuel prices.

RACQ spokeswoman Lauren Ritchie said the fair fuel price for Cairns was $1.32, which more than 60 per cent of the region’s retailers were sitting at or below.

“We’re putting it down to really high levels of competition in Cairns,” Ms Ritchie said.

United Petroleum has taken over the BP on Cairns Rd and Caltex on Riverstone Rd at Gordonvale and will be launching their rebranding on Friday.

“To hear we have another two service stations and to hear they are United bodes very well for Cairns,” Ms Ritchie said.

Ms Ritchie said retail margins were at 4.8 cents per litre, which were the lowest in more than 3½ years.

An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission probe into Cairns fuel prices revealed that petrol stations were making 38 per cent more profit on fuel sales than the average across Australia.

United Petroleum opened its first store in Woree in July last year and also has another on Sheridan St.

“It is really encouraging that we’re finally starting to see a shift in the Cairns market,” Ms Ritchie said.

“It looks like United really want to play ball in Cairns and want to be competitive.”

United chief operating officer David Szymczak said the company was pushing forward with its plans to develop a fuel import terminal at Mourilyan, which had been announced last year.

“Mourilyan Terminal will be a very important infrastructure asset for United Petroleum and will greatly benefit the people of North Queensland,” Mr Szymczak said.

“United has impressive growth plans in North Queensland and looks forward to ensuring that North Queenslanders do not pay too much for their fuel.”