CLP to put forward laws to drive down the cost of fuel

At parliament sittings this week, a law will be put forward to combat the enduring eye-watering fuel prices. MORE INFO HERE.

THE Opposition will put forward legislation this week to reduce the price of fuel, as costs remain above an eye-watering $2 a litre for diesel across most of the Territory.

In parliament sittings on Tuesday, the Country Liberals will give notice of the Fuel Price Disclosure Bill 2022.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro told the NT News it was designed to drive down the cost of fuel by requiring petrol stations to disclose their profit margins on fuel.

She said the requirement would bring transparency to bowser prices and further ­inform Territorians on choosing where to fuel up.

Ms Finocchiaro said prices remaining high would drive locals and southerners from the Northern Territory.

“We don’t want more people to leave the Territory because it costs too much to live here,” she said.

“The CLP is taking urgent action on cost of living because Territorians cannot wait any longer for relief at the bowser.”

The Fuel Price Disclosure Bill was introduced by the previous CLP government but after Labor’s election win in 2016, the legislation never passed.

Ms Finocchiaro urged the government to support the legislation.

“The Fyles government should be giving bipartisan support to the CLP’s legislation to drive down fuel prices,” she said.

Fuel prices across the Territory continue to remain at exorbitant levels, despite efforts to increase affordability.

In March, the federal government introduced a 22c-a-litre tariff cut.

Between March 30 and May 8, Darwin’s unleaded retail price fell as low as $1.80 a litre but surged again in the weeks following.

According to the MyFuelNT app, diesel prices remain above 230c a litre for most of the Darwin area. Puma and United in Darwin CBD recorded 233.7c a litre as of Monday.

Unleaded 91 clocked in at 205.5c per litre at United and 205.7c a litre at Puma.

In Palmerston for diesel, Puma continued to record 233.7c, while Coles Express sat at 233.9c and FuelExpress at 233.5c.

Unleaded 91 in Palmerston cost 205.9c at Coles Express and 205.7c at FuelExpress.

Remote areas recorded the most obscene prices, with diesel at 269.9c a litre at BP in Kakadu and 323c a litre at Puma in East Arnhem. The service station at Lorella Springs priced diesel at 300c and Unleaded 91 at 350c.

In Alice Springs, BP recorded diesel at 241.9c a litre, Coles Express at 237.9c and Liberty at 241.9c.

Premium 95 was 255.9c a litre at BP and 237.9c at Coles Express.