Drivers in for a record rip-off

MOTORISTS should fill up their tanks now or risk being further ripped off, with fuel prices tipped to hit a record high.

The RACQ has hit out at some petrol stations for not dropping their prices as low as expected during the cheap phase of the cycle and now pushing them up to as high as $1.569.

Spokeswoman Renee Smith said the RACQ was shocked by the blatant money grab by “a handful” of petrol stations that had already started charging the peak rate.

“We’re seeing some service stations hiking their prices to $1.549, and a handful to $1.569,” she said.

“We are angry at this ... now we are really worried the others are going to follow, and if they do, we will reach a record high.”

The previous high saw motorists paying $1.592 a litre, on average, three years ago.

And Ms Smith said an increase in the oil price couldn’t be blamed for the service stations’ behaviour.

The good news is, there is still plenty of cheap fuel to be had, with a third of the market yet to raise their prices. If you pay $1.36 or less, you’re not getting ripped off, Ms Smith said.

The price rise prompted Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington to renew calls for the State Government to introduce real-time fuel price monitoring in Queensland as a priority. Such mandatory monitoring had boosted competition in NSW and cut prices by about $6 a tank, Ms Frecklington said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in February a discussion had started with the RACQ on how best to collect data for motorists.

In March, the consumer watchdog labelled service stations “intensely irritating and frustrating” following the release of its latest quarterly report into petrol prices.