Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support this amendment. The Treasurer has said loudly and often that he supports truth and transparency, and that is what this amendment is effectively asking of the companies selling petroleum wholesale in Australia. I think that it is entirely appropriate that they specify the discounts and the supplies on offer and put on the internet each day the price or prices, including the amount of any discount or any other individual components in relation to each particular price and the criteria to qualify for the price or prices.

The community really objects to the fact that, just before a long weekend or holidays, petrol prices go up. They really object to the fact that when the pressure goes on suddenly petrol can be discounted, and discounted differentially around the country. I think it would be a great leap forward if we could at least allow the community to see exactly what the oil companies are doing when they are selling their product into the market—then you would be able to get some transparency in what is going on. I think that this is workable. One of the great things about modern communication and IT is that it is not beyond the wit of companies to do this. I think it would be a valuable contribution to the debate because, whenever there is pressure on petrol prices and when this kind of inexplicable behaviour goes on, parliaments have yet another inquiry into petrol prices. Frankly, the community is getting pretty cynical about the 70 or so inquiries into petrol prices. I think that they think that politicians just have another inquiry looking into it to take the political heat off themselves and that is the end of it. To avoid ongoing inquiries into petrol prices, the obvious things to do to are to strengthen the powers of the ACCC, to improve the Trade Practices Act and to provide better transparency and disclosure so that the community can go to those websites and see exactly what is being proposed. I think it is a worthwhile amendment and I support it.