Heat on fuel app delays

THE State Opposition says the Labor Government continues to let Gold Coasters down on surging petrol prices with real-time fuel price monitoring months away.

The Queensland Government has committed to development of an aggregator by Christmas which would provide real-time fuel prices for motorists who could then find the cheapest places for petrol in their area.

It would mimic a system in place in NSW where drivers typically pay $6 less on average per tank. The Queensland plan includes a grace period for petrol retailers who don’t comply until April and is slotted for a two-year trial.

Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham revealed an update yesterday, saying Queensland software engineer Informed Sources had been selected to develop the system.

It would collect and distribute fuel prices to the fuel price app and web developers.

“With fuel prices hitting a four-year high, our fuel price reporting trial is on schedule to put informed buying power into motorists’ hands,” Dr Lynham said

The aggregator software will capture fuel prices from all Queensland service stations and provide it free to existing smartphone apps and websites such as Motormouth, GasBuddy, PetrolSpy, RACQ and Compare the Market. All retailers will be required to provide their prices within 30 minutes of the price changing at the bowser.

Informed Sources’ Asia Pacific regional manager Chris Huth said the company looked forward to delivering on the Government’s vision to support Queensland motorists find the cheapest servo in town.

The Opposition says it is too late. LNP’s Member for Surfers Paradise John-Paul Langbroek, stung $1.82 per litre this week at a Brisbane service station, said his party raised the idea in January and it was taking Labor too long.

“It just shows it’s not a priority for them,” he said.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington said the amount of time it was taking showed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was “out of touch with everyday Queenslanders”.

“I care about the pain motorists are experiencing at the pump, which is why I announced the LNP would introduce real-time fuel price monitoring more than 10 months ago. It then took Labor four months to get on board ... and Queenslanders are still waiting to get a trial.”

RACQ has said real-time data enabling motorists to avoid retail sites with higher prices does eventually impact the price settings.