Liberal Government to announce legislation for South Australian real-time fuel pricing

REAL-TIME petrol pricing data will be available to motorists for the first time as the State Government commits to immediate reform.

• Electioneering: Parties back RAA call for real-time fuel pricing
• Real-time petrol prices could save motorists up to $55m a year

REAL-TIME petrol pricing data will be available to motorists for the first time as the State Government commits to immediate reform.

Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman will announce legislation allowing the Office of Business and Consumer Affairs to post online changes in fuel bowser prices.

The move should prove a windfall for motorists with the expectation of fuel discount wars across the state’s petrol stations.

“Fuel is a massive cost for South Australians, particularly around holiday times such as Easter,’’ Ms Chapman told The Advertiser.

“The State Liberal Government is investigating the best way to implement real-time fuel pricing information for SA motorists as soon as possible.’’

It has not yet been decided if the Government will fund and staff its own consumer app.

Ms Chapman said new legislation would be required to upgrade the current voluntary system based on customer-reported prices.

Real-time petrol pricing data will be available to motorists for the first time as the State Government commits to immediate reform.

It is not currently used by all service stations, in some cases only displays price bands for standard unleaded fuel, and can be days old.

“The State Government is working through the legislative changes required to implement real-time fuel pricing information,’’ Ms Chapman said.

The announcement is a major win for the 600,000-member RAA, which lobbied the previous government for years to implement the reform.

It is considering whether to launch its own app based on the data, which is likely to be made available to all web providers.

RAA spokesman Mark Borlace welcomed the Government’s commitment to an app, which the organisation believes will drive down prices by creating real-time advantages for those shopping around.

Prices nosedived in Sydney after the introduction of the service as petrol stations engaged in discount wars.

Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman will announce the legislation on Thursday.

Mr Borlace expected SA entrepreneurs to take advantage of the real-time price data and create fuel price apps, even if it opted not to develop a taxpayer-funded version.

“We welcome the Government looking to make the data available in a usable format for existing and potential app developers, including RAA,” he said.

Mr Borlace said there were many other ways to use the data, but directing drivers via mobile phones to the best local fuel price would be the most commonly used.

“We would also use this comprehensive data to investigate fuel price cycles and identify price trends, so we can alert our members to price increases, particularly in regional areas,’’ he said.

One of the first app companies to take advantage is likely to be the current provider, www.motormouth.com. au, which provides the best service it can from voluntary data from most companies.

The policy change is part of the incoming State Government focus on cost of living issues such as household bills, which were emphasised during the State Election.

How to best implement the fuel price changes will be negotiated between Ms Chapman, who is also Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs, and her department.

It is known to favour a model in which it makes this real-time data available to app developers who can convert it to a useful format for motorists, rather than staffing its own service.