CHRISTMAS Petrol prices bring cheer
RACQ says bigger bowser drop expected Website shines a light on brilliant efforts
IF you are looking for beautiful Christmas lights in the Cairns region, Andrea Attree has you covered. Mrs Attree runs a Facebook page that lists all of the houses with Christmas light displays from Gordonvale to Palm Cove. Mrs Attree spent weeks driving around photographing the displays for her page and rated a house in Bryce Close, Gordonvale, her favourite. “I love the design and the way items were used in the display, very tasteful. When I look at it I feel so much fuzziness,” she said. “It’s a good example of correct placement and knowing what you want.” Check out more of Mrs Attree’s Christmas lights photos at cairnspost.com.au
as CAIRNS motorists will benefit from decreasing fuel prices over the Christmas period, amid claims Far Northerners are saving about $7 each time they fill up a 50-litre tank compared to six months ago.
New statistics from RACQ have revealed motorists were paying about 15 cents more per litre midyear, but a decreasing demand for oil and an increase in supply from the United States has been welcomed by the Queensland motoring body.
RACQ spokeswoman Renee Smith said while prices in the Far North had come down, it was hoped they would continue to fall in 2016.
She said prices in Cairns peaked in June, with an average price of $1.47.
“The average price in Cairns is $1.316, and that is still a bit higher than we’d like to see it, so fingers crossed they can fall further,” she said.
“We’d like to see prices drop by at least another 11 cents per litre, to get down to what we think is a fair price.
“Make sure you’re taking the time this festive season to shop around, and while it is welcome news that prices have dropped in Cairns, we still think they can drop a little bit more.”
Despite a 2.9 cent decrease in the cost of fuel ahead of the festive season in Cairns, prices are still about five cents above the state average – with an average of 1.328 cents per litre in Atherton the lowest in the Far North.
But Far Northerners look set to reap the rewards of a further drop in prices, following a “landmark” decision in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) – with the court proceeding ruling against petrol prices being kept under wraps by retailers.
From May next year the public will be able to access the same petrol price information as retailers including BP, Woolworths, Caltex and 7Eleven, under the deal secured by the competition watchdog. The ACCC has announced it has reached an agreement with petrol price information service Informed Services and the four major petrol retailers, which dominate the Far North Queensland petrol market.
Far Northern motorists will now have access to real time data on petrol prices, which is updated every 15 minutes.
Mother-of-three and small business owner Shardin Carter said the drop in the price of fuel around Cairns was a welcome bonus in the Christmas period.
“I’m absolutely satisfied that they’ve come down, because every cent helps with three kids,” she said.
“I think it is a bit overpriced. I remember when it was 99 cents a litre, so it has gone up quite a bit over the years … you’d put $20 in and it would almost fill up your tank.
“With our small business, I’m constantly driving backwards and forwards – I’m always in and out, so I’m constantly fuelling up.”