Time to fight back on fuel

DARWINITES are sick of being dudded. For 23 days now, all bar one or two petrol stations have been selling fuel for more than 139c/L, with some going up as high as almost 145c/L

DARWINITES are sick of being dudded. For 23 days now, all bar one or two petrol stations have been selling fuel for more than 139c/L, with some going up as high as almost 145c/L.

This is despite a small, locally owned station maintaining prices almost 10c/L lower than everywhere else.

The consistently high fuel prices were so unexpected, so unusual, that the NT Government asked the ACCC to look into possible collusion between petrol stations.

However, the ACCC says it’s got no evidence to prove they’re doing anything illegal. They’ve got every right to gouge us, if we’re silly enough to keep going back to them.

If we don’t take our business to the cheaper stations, if we don’t show them their high prices are not bringing them money but instead driving customers away, what incentive do they have to bring the prices down?

That’s why the ACCC is urging motorists to shop around.

Chairman Rod Sims says he’s taken a keen interest in Darwin’s fuel prices. He says prices are 10c/L higher than they should be and there’s no reason why they need to be that high.

It’s good to know, when we’re struggling and trying to eek out every last drop of petrol, every last kilometre in our car, that a national body is looking out for Darwin and keeping an eye on things.

But unless we start listening to the ACCC’s suggestions, we can’t expect any change in our fuel prices.

Until we start checking out MyFuelNT and rewarding the cheaper servos with our money, the bigger companies are raking in the cash. We no longer need to drive for half an hour to find the cheapest fuel — it’s all on the internet.

Rod Sims said it perfectly when he summed it up: “it’s time for Darwin motorists to fight back”.