More than 18 months after promising Tasmanians he would end the price agony at the petrol bowser, Premier Peter Gutwein has not only broken that promise, he has abandoned any effort to deliver hip pocket relief.
Motorists in Hobart and throughout the state are now paying more for petrol than in any other jurisdiction, with the average price per litre for unleaded fuel now at $1.78.
That compares to $1.51 in Melbourne, $1.51 in Brisbane, and $1.67 in Canberra.
Even Darwin petrol prices - which are traditionally among the highest in the nation due to freight costs - are well below Hobart's at $1.69.*
Shadow Consumer Affairs Minister Jen Butler said the fact that Mr Gutwein was prepared to ignore this disparity and fail to deliver on his promise showed how completely out of touch he was with the community's serious concerns about the rising cost of living.
"In May last year Mr Gutwein was clear in his promise that if Tasmanian prices continued to be out of step with the rest of the country, he would take further action including potential price capping," Ms Butler said.
"Petrol prices are spiralling. Motorists and families are struggling. They have not heard a peep from Mr Gutwein.
"In fact the Liberal Government are so uncaring and ignorant of the fact that fuel has become unaffordable to many families that eight weeks ago the Consumer Affairs Minister Elise Archer ridiculously claimed that petrol prices were headed in the right direction.
"This is at the same time that our rental markets are the tightest in the nation, the government is introducing new taxes including a waste tax and Tasmanians continue to pay the highest electricity bills in the country.
"It's abundantly clear that Mr Gutwein and Ms Archer are utterly, hopelessly out of touch as families struggle to pay the bills and they need to act."
Jen Butler MP
Shadow Consumer Affairs Minister
