Elise Archer,Minister for Workplace Safety and Consumer Affairs
Shane Broad and Jen Butler are disgracefully trying to misrepresent the Government's position on fuel pricing and politicise the tragic situation in Ukraine.
The Government has made it very clear that we will consider further action on fuel pricing, including legislation, should there be any evidence of Tasmania being excessively "out of step" with the rest of the country or in the event of price gouging – but to date, no such evidence exists.
Our local fuel retailers are themselves doing it tough at the moment, which is why our Government supports them and other businesses, not tear them down.
There is no doubt the current global situation is causing fuel price rises, particularly the tragic events in Ukraine. If Labor does not understand this, party members either have their heads in the sand or are exploiting this terrible situation for their own political gain.
Our Government has taken, and continues to take, real and decisive action on the cost of living, including fuel pricing. Just this week, we have announced a five-week free bus travel initiative that will help to ease fuel costs on the family budget, along with a $100,000 community services relief package that will provide more money to help vulnerable Tasmanians.
We have also acted to provide clarity on fuel price information through our Fuel Check TAS app and website, helping Tasmanian motorists find the cheapest fuel in their area, in real-time.
