SOAP BOX: What if milk changed price like petrol?

IF you intended buying milk in the morning but instead got it later in the day, how would you feel if it had gone up in price by a huge amount in that time?

IF you intended buying milk or bread in the morning but instead got it later in the day, how would you feel if it had gone up in price by a huge amount in that time?

A bit peeved, I bet.

And what if a couple of days later your vital groceries had massively dropped in price but you had already filled your pantry when prices were dear?

A bit peeved, I guess.

Then, how would you feel if when you needed more milk or bread, the price had rocketed way back up again?

More than a bit peeved, I'd say. In fact, I reckon you'd feel like contacting the ACCC, the Ombudsman and maybe your local member of Parliament.

So, why is it when that other important daily commodity, petrol, wildly fluctuates in price, we all sit back and take as gospel the rubbish we're told as reasons for it. Sorry but I can't swallow the excuse it's because the price of oil changes.

When oil was over $100 a barrel about a year ago, we were paying around $1.35 a litre.

Oil has been under $40 a barrel for a while now but the petrol price still spikes around $1.35 a litre.

Even the RACQ seems to have swallowed the industry's fairytale about oil prices dictating the price of petrol. If that's the case, the current oil price should lock petrol well below a dollar a litre even when the so-called price cycle peaks.

As for the price cycle, it should be renamed the price gouge.

In the past three days the average price per litre on the Coast went from $1.19 to $1.35 then down to $1.15 with the peak co-inciding with drivers filling up for the weekend.

At this rate, it's cheaper to run a car on milk. At least the price would be stable.