Hunter motorists will have to look beyond the national consumer watchdog for relief from high fuel prices.
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The Mercury understands that despite receiving data from NRMA analysts in May, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not take any action to reduce the pain of high petrol prices in the Maitland-Newcastle region.
NRMA asked the ACCC to investigate why the Hunter had consistently been among the most expensive places in NSW to buy unleaded and E10 petrol since January.
ACCC spokespeople would not confirm whether an investigation of Hunter fuel prices had taken place after the NRMA submitted its data, which showed that Sydney prices had been between five and 25c/L cheaper than the Hunter since January.
“Fuel prices are set by participants in the relevant market. The ACCC’s role is to prevent anti-competitive conduct, such as price fixing or collusion, to protect consumers,” a spokesman said.
“Where there is an allegation of anti-competitive conduct, the ACCC will make targeted inquiries to investigate the issue.
“After making inquiries, if there is information available to the ACCC that suggests that a breach of the act is likely to have occurred, it can take action to enforce the act.
“High prices are not of themselves evidence of anti-competitive behaviour which may be in breach of the act.”
NRMA president Kyle Loades said the organisation would now investigate new ways to keep Hunter motorists better informed about where to buy the region’s cheapest fuel, but would not speculate on what form this would take.
“Our view is that we don’t expect Hunter fuel prices to be the same as Sydney, but we are concerned that the price gap between the Hunter and Sydney has been widening in the past six months and NRMA can’t see any justification for this,” he said.
NRMA spokespeople would not comment about the response they received from the ACCC about the data.
Motorists should use their power as consumers to help drive petrol prices down in Maitland, mayor Peter Blackmore says.
Cr Blackmore, who operated a services station in Rutherford for 17 years until the early 1990s, said people should talk to each other about fuel prices across the city and make the effort to buy petrol from the cheapest outlets.
He said consumer power was the best hope for Maitland residents to get cheaper fuel amid news that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission would not take action against consistently high petrol prices in the Hunter.
“Who else is out there to protect the rights of consumers?” he asked.
“Only the motorists can decide whether to travel out of their way or out of their buying habit.
“Either cop the price or drive away with your dollar to where you believe you are getting the best deal.”
