Tuesday, 18 June 2024

 Steve McGHIE (Melton) (15:28): I wish I was not up talking about fuel prices in Melton, but unfortunately that is not the case. I did speak about this a few weeks ago. For the week ending 9 June, the national average fuel price was 192.8 cents per litre. In Melton the prices for fuel at every petrol station were $2.27 or $2.29 per litre, so from the 7/11 on High Street, the Ampol on Coburns Road and the Shell Coles Express on Exford Road the fuel was up to 37 cents per litre dearer. The people of Melton are victims of price gouging. They are paying premium prices for the same fuel that is available in Bacchus Marsh, Caroline Springs and even Deer Park. Last Friday I travelled from Melton to Geelong and then on to Ballarat. Fuel in all those locations was 48 to 50 cents per litre cheaper.

The Melton fuel outlets are crooks and are taking advantage of the Melton community, and it needs to stop. The Melton people should complain to the ACCC. I have raised this issue with the ACCC, but they are not the regulator of fuel prices. I think they should be investigating price gouging by the fuel outlets in Melton. I have also raised this issue through the Minister for Consumer Affairs’ office, and I know they are looking at this. Today as we speak the current national average retail fuel price is 206.7 cents per litre, but in Melton it is 229.7 cents per litre. We need an independent operator in Melton. I know there is one wanting to come in, and I encourage the council to work with that operator to get them into Melton. I encourage the Melton community to boycott their local petrol stations.