Fuel Price Inquest - Regulated Fuel Prices - Good Thing?

[AWD Chaser]

Just asking peoples opinions here - Do you think the Fuel Price inquest will result in anything benifiting motorists?

[new2ford]

The inquest isn't about regulating fuel prices. It is about restriction of competition by oil companies and Coles and Woolworths. There is the issue of supposed "agreements" between oil companies about retail prices and there is the issue of Coles and Woolworths buying out independent service stations and reducing competition. There is also the related issue of Coles and Woolworths capitalising on consumer gullibility using the "4c off voucher" scheme when the "4c off" is actually counteracted by higher prices in the supermarkets.

So competition is the key issue - restraint of trade. Something the Australian govt has been p..weak on to date. So if the Feds use some political guts following this inquiry, yes it will benefit motorists. If they go weak as usual, no it won't.

[PaulMac]

Couldn't vote on that question for all the reasons cited by NEW2FORD who IMO is spot on. Furthermore to his argument, which government in Australia has ever taken the motorists side, especially rural, since parity pricing was introduced? We may as wear bells like the other (4 legged) milk cows. Sorry to rant a bit but I remember sensible petrol price regulation and it was good.
Paulmac

[SPK-250]

Everyday i hear all this BS about a fuel inquest. But what does it mean?? Bugger all if you ask me! Everyday for the last 2 years it's a pretty hot topic when it comes to news time. Nothing has been done about it, and nothing will! All it is is people ****in in our ears, giving people something they want to hear. At the end of the day everyone needs fuel to drive their car, wether it's to work or simply down the shops.

My 2 cents

[broken_suave]

I cant see any huge ground being made towards cheaper fuel prices. Fuel Price Inquest or not, we're never going back to paying 80 cents a litre. A few cents here or there, and more common prices district wide is about as good as it'll get IMO.

[Interceptor]

best thing that can happen to fuel pricing would be to remove world parity pricing on oil so whoever charges the least sells the most.....

[[Tonko]]

No, Price goes down, GST per litre goes down... They wouldnt let that happen

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by TonkoXR8

No, Price goes down, GST per litre goes down... They wouldnt let that happen

yup thats what i was thinking

jason

[Eu-GenixX]

has anyone actually seen the breakdown of fuel prices at the bowser....?

the majority of it goes to the governemnt in taxes and other stuff... so the GST side of things isn't that big a deal.... well it is.. but all the other taxes add up..

[Eu-GenixX]

GST is a state tax.. all the other taxes on fuel are federal

[You Yangs]

Originally Posted by Eu-GenixX

GST is a state tax.. all the other taxes on fuel are federal

I think you will find that it is the other way around. GST is a federal tax that is then distributed to the states to spend on stuff it shouldn't be spent on!

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

best thing that can happen to fuel pricing would be to remove world parity pricing on oil so whoever charges the least sells the most.....

What alternative do you suggest?

[nugget378]

I would suggest nationalising all oil/gas extraction and refining,run for the benefit of society as a whole...
Not for the profit of a monopoly cartel..

[RG]

Any inquest is bad for the consumer. Some of you may remember a couple of years ago several stations in Ballarat got found out and fined for price fixing. Guess who ended up paying the fines, yep you got it it was the consumer. We had prices that were not discounted at all and constantly 10-15cpl higher than Melbourne, we are usually the same or cheaper believe it or not, and the prices didn't come back to normal for 12-18 months.

All inquests do is stop competition and drive prices higher.

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by nugget378

I would suggest nationalising all oil/gas extraction and refining,run for the benefit of society as a whole...
Not for the profit of a monopoly cartel..

... Like Telecom of old? Surely you jest? If that wouldn't drive prices up I don't know what would.

[nugget378]

Originally Posted by xbgs351

... Like Telecom of old? Surely you jest? If that wouldn't drive prices up I don't know what would.

Yes Yes I know,
we are told the sky will fall in,by those with vested interests I might add,seems too many fall for the economic dogma of the economic terrorists these days..

anyway what was wrong with the telecom of old,sure kept enough employed,and when I needed a line installed I had in in 2 days,try that now..
They've gotten alot cheaper have'nt they?

Nationalise,set prices,make a profit for the country instead of corporations that pay NO tax at all,employ workers intead of spin doctor consultants,surely the road to ruin..

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by nugget378

Yes Yes I know,
we are told the sky will fall in,by those with vested interests I might add,seems too many fall for the econimic dogma of the economic terrorists these days..

anyway what was wrong with the telecom of old,sure kept enough employed,and when I needed a line installed I had in in 2 days,try that now..

Nationalise,set prices,make a profit for the country instead of corporations that pay NO tax at all,employ workers intead of spin doctor consultants,surely the road to ruin..

What was wrong with Telecom of old - how about astronomical phone bills? The the only time my family could afford to make phone calls was on a Sunday night. The same deal applied to Ansett/TAA. Look how much cheaper domestic flights are with some real competition.

[nugget378]

Line rentals anyone?
Anyway this is O/T,just look at the coles/woolies debacle with reasonable eyes and then tell me unregulated markets are the way to go,especially for staples of our lives like fuel is.
I can guarantee that anything that ever comes out about the business practises of these 2(and the oil companies in general) will only be the small tip of a huge iceberg.

[mik]

i don`t think anything will come out of it, the poly`s just like to be seen to be doing something, the oil companies own the world in sense they have enough power money and loyers to influence governments.

[ebxr8240]

Being an ex dairy farmer...
When they deregulated the milk here.. NSW...
They said prices would drop!!!
Well its gone up and the farmers get paid less !!!!
Who makes the MOST profit now ????
Woolworths and Coles !!!!
As with petroleum, things never change!!!!

[new2ford]

Forget about international oil companies. Our Federal govt can't even regulate Coles and Woolworths, or the safety of imported toys or motor cars .. or anything really. Even the USA, supposedly the land of unbridled capitalism has stronger regulation, trust-busting etc. And our politicians expect pay rises for "looking after our interests"?

[SB076]

Actually why hasnt the price of fuel gone down? Given the aussie dollar has risen to $0.90 US why hasnt the price of fuel dropped (considering oil is purchased in US dollars - and about a year or two ago the price of fuel went up because the aussie dollar had gone down)

[nugget378]

Originally Posted by SB076

Actually why hasnt the price of fuel gone down? Given the aussie dollar has risen to $0.90 US why hasnt the price of fuel dropped (considering oil is purchased in US dollars - and about a year or two ago the price of fuel went up because the aussie dollar had gone down)

You really dont know why? :P

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[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by SB076

Actually why hasnt the price of fuel gone down? Given the aussie dollar has risen to $0.90 US why hasnt the price of fuel dropped (considering oil is purchased in US dollars - and about a year or two ago the price of fuel went up because the aussie dollar had gone down)

Also, the price for Light sweet crude hit a record price of $86 last night on the NSX. If it wasn’t for the high Australian dollar, we’d be paying a hell of a lot more.

[TUF514]

I really don't care.