THE state’s motorists have been given the most powerful tool yet devised for ensuring they can shop competitively for fuel.
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At the country launch of the FuelCheck initiative by Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Victor Dominello in Armidale on Monday, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said the online fuel pricing board should eliminate any scope for service stations to collude on pricing.
“Here in Armidale, we have sometimes seen unleaded fuel priced at seven cents per litre above nearby towns,” Mr Marshall said.
“The ACCC is still investigating whether any cartel-like behaviour was behind the discrepancy, but by putting information directly in the hands of consumers, the FuelCheck app should effectively make collusion impossible in the future.
“It’s not about handing out millions, it’s about providing the potential for every motorist to keep hundreds of dollars a year in their pockets that they might have otherwise unwittingly spent on overpriced fuel.
“That’s real money that makes a real difference.”
The online fuel price board allows motorists to use their smartphones, tablets or personal computers to check fuel pricing at all service stations in a given area.
The app can filter results by the fuel type the consumer is looking for.
Shane Beechey of the 25-year-old Beardy Street Servo in Armidale believed FuelCheck meant independent fuel retailers could compete on value, rather than location.
“It’s a chance to advertise the fact that we’re here, and that we are competitive,” he said.
There will be no fee for the service station operator to register to use the database or to upload data. However, there are penalties for selling fuel at a price other than that notified on the online price board.
Consumers can quickly inform the regulator of discrepancies between the FuelCheck price and browser price by using a link in the FuelCheck app.
The FuelCheck database will be made available to approved software developers who want to put their own interface on the data.
FuelCheck is currently in a beta version. Consumers are encouraged to provide feedback about the accuracy and functionality of the website to NSW Fair Trading.
