Polly’s Petrol Pollywaffling
A WEEKEND drive to Narromine would have netted Dubbo drivers about a $15 saving if they put unleaded or diesel into their fuel tanks.
Dubbo Photo News checked out service stations in Narromine and Dubbo and the results showed just how skewered the industry is when it comes to a lack of transparency and any sort of real competition, according to local fuel campaigner Wayne Gilbert.
Mr Gilbert operates a Dubbo Bobcat business and has spent months holding Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders to account on the issue.
He says politicians should come clean and admit they can do nothing to ensure parity fuel prices for regional areas.
On Saturday, you could buy E10 in Narromine for 95.9 cents, in Dubbo it was up to 120.9.
Unleaded in Dubbo was as much as 121.9, in our smaller neighbour just 97.9, a whopping difference of 24 cents per litre.
Back in the old pre-metric days that would translate into $1.09 extra for each and every gallon of unleaded you pumped into your vehicle.
Diesel, a fuel which was traditionally cheaper than petrol, has lately been far higher, but while you could pick up that for 97.9 in Narromine, in Dubbo you could have been forced to pay up to 123.9 cents, a 26-cent differential.
Dubbo Photo News sent Mr Saunders a series of questions on this vexed and long-running issue, where country people have traditionally paid far more for petrol and diesel than their city counterparts.
We asked Mr Saunders what actions he’d taken since we last talked on this issue to hold the fuel companies and retailers to account.
“I have gone on the record previously to encourage fuel retailers to be reasonable when it comes to their prices at the bowser,” Mr Saunders told Dubbo Photo News.
“Both myself and other members of parliament have encouraged people with concerns to write to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and outline those concerns.”
To be blunt, Dubbo Photo News also asked, “Is there nothing you can actually do when it comes to this very long-running issue of country people being continually ripped off?”
Mr Saunders replied: “I think we all know there are times when the retail price of fuel products exceeds what seems like a reasonable level, and that is extremely frustrating, however the price of fuel is not something that is controlled, or is able to be controlled, by the NSW Government.
“In saying that, I would encourage people to download the Fuelcheck app and search for the cheapest prices available in their regions, because a good way to send a message is by continually steering clear of those retailers whose prices are beyond reasonable.
“Pollywaffle,” Mr Gilbert told Dubbo Photo News when he learnt about the replies to our questions.
“Not acceptable,” he added.