CANBERRA Liberals are trialling real-time petrol pricing in a bid to help bring down the ACT’s expensive fuel prices, according to Opposition Leader Alistair Coe. 

“We’re being ripped off,” Mr Coe says.

“Canberra is the most expensive place in Australia to buy fuel.”

He says the average price for unleaded petrol in Canberra is around 145.9c per litre compared to 125.2c per litre in NSW (as of January 21). In Belconnen it’s 146.4 per litre compared to 112.5 in Bowral – that’s 33c per litre more.

In 2001, the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission recommended the introduction of a public information system to monitor petrol prices, but, Mr Coe says the ACT government is yet to implement it. 

“We don’t believe it’s fair that Canberrans have to pay 20 – 30c more per litre than other Australians,” he says. 

“That may mean Canberrans are paying about $20 more than the rest of the country to fill up the tank.”

Mr Coe says by trialling real-time monitoring of fuel prices it will improve transparency and encourage healthy competition among retailers.

“Petrol retailers will be required to report changes to fuel prices by 6am every morning,” he says. 

“After fuel prices have been locked in, they will not be allowed to rise in a 24 hour period.

“Other jurisdictions that have introduced real-time price checking such as NSW or WA clearly have a more affordable fuel market.”

Mr Coe says he’s writing to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to request an investigation into Canberra’s petrol prices.