Fuel price hits a record high

NORTH Queensland drivers are paying record prices for fuel.

The average price for unleaded fuel in Townsville rocketed to an all- time high of 160.7c per litre in October.

Charters Towers did not fare much better, with drivers filling up at an average unleaded price of $ 1.60 per litre, up 6.2c from September.

The indicative retail margin – the difference between the wholesale price that retailers pay for fuel and what they sell it for – was almost 10c per litre for unleaded fuel.

Diesel averaged $ 1.62 per litre, up 6.2c.

RACQ spokeswoman Lucinda Ross said the sharp rise was due to a confluence of factors.

“So ( it was) quite high and very frustrating for drivers with fuel being such a huge expense, particularly when you are driving huge distances as you would be out in Charters Towers,” she said.

“A majority of the increase that we saw in October was due to the global oil prices rising and we had a softening of the Australian dollar and those two things together pushed up the price that consumers pay.

“We also have the issue of many service stations across the North, and across the state really … also charging what we consider unfair margins. They were adding extra costs to the fuel that we think are not fair.”