High noon for petrol prices

WE all get annoyed when petrol prices go up and at the moment they are high, ranging from 169.9 cents a litre to 157.9 at independents at White Rock and Machans Beach, while United’s was about 158.9 yesterday.

The independents have always been lower, but their locations are a bit off the beaten track, as well as the Caltex at Wangan west of Innisfail, which had the lowest price of 152.9 yesterday, according to Petrol Spy.

The emergence of United in the Far North over the past couple of years has brought serious competition to the market, mostly ignored by the big oil companies.

Frequently there are queues at the United outlets at Cairns North and Portsmith, which show motorists are voting with their feet.

Unfortunately, a planned national boycott of the most expensive outlets today will be laughed off by the big brands.

But it may send a signal to the Federal Government, which has done little to ease the pain for taxpaying motorists.

Last year, an Australia Competition and Consumer Commission report found that since 2012-13, prices in Cairns had been about 11 cents per litre more than in the five largest cities in the country.

The city’s petrol stations have been making 38 per cent more profit on fuel sales than the average across Australia because of the lack of competition.

High fuel prices are a big hit to the family budget. Far Northern families are struggling with high electricity costs and insurance premiums, as well as other costs of living, including food and their children’s educational and sporting needs.

Something needs to be done. Nick Dalton Deputy editor