Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to the fact that, since the day of his election until today, the price of petrol has increased six per cent in Perth, seven per cent in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and nine per cent in Adelaide. When will the Prime Minister deliver on cheaper petrol for Australian families?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. On the overall challenges facing working families regarding the cost of living, petrol is right up there—it has been going through the roof—and so is the cost of groceries, rents and mortgages and, on top of that, the cost of child care. Therefore, our challenge as a responsible government, in touch with working families, is what you can do to assist the overall family budget. First of all, you can deliver on tax cuts—and that is what we intend to do as at 1 July. The second is to make sure that, when it comes to child-care costs, you make that easier for families as well. That is why we are committed to increasing the rebate from 30 per cent to 50 per cent.

When it comes to the other costs impacting on the overall family budget, we have taken action since coming to office to ensure that we have a cop on the beat on petrol prices right across the country. After 12 years of inertia on this subject, I find it remarkable that those opposite could raise a clamour of discontent on it. The cop on the beat, the petrol commissioner, will come into force very soon. The Chairman of the ACCC, Graeme Samuel, has indicated through his correspondence with the major oil companies that he is watching carefully what the companies do in the days ahead. On top of that, I refer particularly to reports in today’s papers about alleged practices on the part of certain petrol retail outlets. I am very, very concerned about whether these activities are consistent with the application of Australia’s proper competition laws and arrangements. Therefore, if complaints are to be made about what happens in the upcoming weekend, let me tell you that the ACCC will be there to receive those complaints, to make sure that maximum downward pressure is placed on petrol prices so that Australian motorists are not slugged an additional dollar other than they should be paying for petrol—and that after 12 years of inertia.