Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of Central Coast motorists seeking fuel price equity. For too long the Central Coast has experienced higher fuel prices than Sydney, Western Sydney and other regions throughout New South Wales. Central Coast motorists are fed up with paying higher petrol prices and many have joined my fight for fair fuel pricing by supporting my petition and requests to the ACCC to conduct an investigation into fuel prices on the Central Coast.

In December and January I wrote to the chairman of the ACCC calling for the Central Coast to be included in their investigation into fuel pricing. At the time I launched the Dobell fuel petition, a motorist on the Central Coast filling a 50 litre tank of fuel was paying almost $10 more than a motorist on the South Coast. On that day, per tanker, the Central Coast was gouged an additional $8,708. A week before Christmas this amount was $13,000. Central Coast prices are currently relatively low but, given the volatility of fuel pricing, it is only matter of time before the gap widens again. Central Coast motorist have had enough and we want certainty with fuel prices. Our community is heavily dependent on cars, with approximately 20,000 motorists commuting daily from the region. Coupled with limited access to public transport, the fight for fuel price equality is more important than ever. I call on the ACCC to listen to the concerns of the Central Coast motorists and explain this market disparity.

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