An April fuel monitoring blitz has resulted in nine petrol stations being hit with fines totalling nearly $8,000 and another eleven under investigation, as the Malinauskas Labor Government seeks to significantly strengthen its powers to crack-down on misleading behaviour.
The Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (CBS) has conducted more than 500 inspections to ensure petrol stations are complying with the law to provide real-time fuel data, which is then used to produce real-time price monitoring.
The Malinauskas Government will next week take to Parliament legislation to significantly increase penalties for petrol stations who fail to comply, with expiation notices set to jump from $550 to $5000 while the maximum court-imposed penalty for breaches will go from $10,000 to $20,000.
In addition, recruitment has begun for additional CBS inspectors, meeting the Government's $1.2 million election commitment to fund an additional 100 inspections each month.
Stations issued expiation notices in the recent blitz include:
- Bulls Garage Coober Pedy (x 2 expiations); Price discrepancy: Unleaded 91, Fuel Unavailable: Diesel
- Caltex Bordertown (x 2 expiations); Price discrepancy, Diesel & Unleaded 91
- United Strathalbyn; Fuel Unavailable: LPG
- Ampol Renmark Depot; Fuel Unavailable: Diesel
- United Berri; Fuel Unavailable: LPG
- Karoonda Fuel Stop (x 2); Fuel Unavailable; Diesel & Unleaded 91
- X Convenience Goodwood; Fuel Unavailable: Unleaded 91
- Caltex Park Holme; Fuel Unavailable: LPG
- Solo Energy Corporation Edinburgh North; fuel unavailable
Alleged breaches included failing to update the price of fuel on the real-time monitoring system within the mandatory window or continuing to list fuel type as being available when it was not.
Under the real-time fuel pricing information scheme, fuel retailers are required to report their prices and availability of fuel to a central database within 30 minutes of changing the price at the pump.
Drivers can then access free fuel price information via fuel price apps including the RAA app, which has both pricing and availability, as well as apps such as Petrol Spy, Motor Mouth, SA Bowser: Should I Fuel? and ServoTrack, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
The RAA estimates a typical SA driver using real-time fuel pricing is likely to save around $117 a year, based on typical fuel consumption, resulting in an annual total savings of approximately $58 million across the state.
Anyone who believes a service station is in breach is encouraged to report it to Consumer and Business Services: https://cbs.sa.gov.au/campaigns/find-the-cheapest-fuel
As put by Michael Brown
It is unacceptable for petrol stations to mislead people by failing to comply with our real-time petrol price monitoring.
We are taking a zero-tolerance approach – naming and shaming those who fail to meet their obligations.
Recruitment for additional inspectors is underway and when Parliament resumes next week, we will be introducing new legislation to significantly increase penalties.
While no government in Australia can control what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz, we are delivering on our election commitment to make sure South Australian motorists are not taken for a ride.
