Rudd attacks on petrol pricing
by Alan Thornhill
The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd went on the attack over petrol prices today, declaring that his government” National Fuel Watch bill would be introduced into parliament “in a few hours.”
He was speaking to reporters in Canberra, just before the start of question time, at which the opposition is expected to quiz the government closely on aspects of the controversial bill.
But Rudd was firm.
“The debate is simple,” he said.
“Whether Australian motorists should have the same information (about prices) as oil companies.
“We say they should.
“The opposition says they should not,” he said.
Under the bill, service stations would be obliged to hold their prices, at advertised levels, for 24 hours.
The government has been severely embarrassed by two leaks of confidential information, over the bill.
The first revealed that its Resources Minister, Martin Ferguson, opposed the bill.
The second exposed the fact that four government departments, including the Federal Treasury, also advised the government not to proceed with it.
However, Rudd quoted the Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Graeme Samuel, who has supported the bill.
Samuel said the West Australian Fuel Watch scheme, which the Federal government is copying, had produced “statistically significant” cuts in petrol prices, in that state.
1 Comment
Profile
The Latest
9 February 2012
Doubts over Greek bail out weigh on European stock markets.
THE MARKETS
| All Ordinaries | 4322.600 | |||||||
| S&P 500 | 1351.95 | |||||||
| Aud To Usd | 1.07 | |||||||
| Bhp Blt Fpo | 36.300 | |||||||
| Rio Tinto Fpo | 69.980 | |||||||
| Cwlth Bank Fpo | 49.880 | |||||||
| Fosters Fpo | 5.380 | |||||||
| Woolworths Fpo | 24.450 | |||||||
News to Use
- Rates:up they go
- Property:Time to buy?
- Room for more rate cuts:RBA
- The Latest
- Higher rates? You should know today
- Private health insurance may soon be dearer for many
- Joe Hockey’s admission
- Australia bans internet tobacco ads
- Extra help for flood victims
- A missed chance: builders
- Rates on hold – for now
- Business expectations “bounce back”
- Extra help for flood victims
- Retail sales still trending upwards
- A tight Christmas in resource rich States
Topics
- Airlines (12)
- Banking (1299)
- Business (1423)
- Communications (32)
- Disaster (83)
- Economics (1440)
- Environment (73)
- Financial advice (1189)
- Health (45)
- Housing (400)
- Inflation (394)
- Insurance (60)
- Investment (1246)
- Markets (980)
- Media (86)
- Politics (1307)
- Regulation (577)
- Rural australia (85)
- Security (13)
- Social security (134)
- Superannuation (160)
- Tax (224)
- The latest (1)
- Trade (268)
- Uncategorized (264)
Archives
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
Recent Comments
- Liam Knuj on The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard’s, New Year’s Message
- Change is for the better,change is where your heart grows stronger on Family Assistance boost
- Harry on The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard’s, New Year’s Message
- Matthew on Rates likely to be steady
- Alan Thornhill on Carbon price:Treasury’s modelling




Alan Thornhill is a parliamentary press gallery journalist. Private Briefing is updated daily with Australian personal finance news, analysis, and commentary.
[...] Rudd attacks on petrol pricing [...]