Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This government is concerned that, as we lead into the Easter break and families are preparing to head off to country and seaside locations, or interstate to visit friends and relatives, they may end up paying more for their petrol. But, as I say that, I look at those opposite and think: do they really believe that this is the first time that Australian families have had to pay more for petrol at Easter time, on weekends or during the Christmas holidays? They had 11 years in government. Are they saying that that did not occur during their reign?

But there is a difference. The Rudd Labor government has put in place mechanisms to assist in addressing this issue. The first point is that we have introduced greater transparency into the petrol market in Australia in the last four months than the previous government managed to do in 11 years. Since its election the government has moved to appoint a full-time petrol commissioner. Patrick Walker has spent 10 years as Western Australia’s Consumer Protection Commissioner. He will keep a continual watch on the industry and regularly report to the government. The government has also asked the ACCC and the new commissioner to commence a renewed focus on LPG and diesel prices to advise it on whether any further powers for the ACCC in this area are necessary or desirable. Pat Walker is due to start on 31 March.

Formal monitoring powers are also being given to the ACCC on unleaded petrol prices. This gives the ACCC the power to seek documents and to subpoena witnesses about decisions at any point in the supply chain to ensure that there is no anticompetitive conduct. The government and the ACCC have also agreed that the commission will undertake a more detailed examination and ongoing monitoring of buy-sell arrangements; will complete an audit of terminals suitable for importing refined petrol into Australia, covering terminal capacity, use, leasing and sharing arrangements; will provide ongoing monitoring of the use, leasing and sharing of terminals suitable for importing refined petrol into Australia—and it goes on.

We have always fessed up to the Australian people on the key factors that drive Australia’s retail petrol prices. However, we depart from the coalition on what the government can and should be doing in promoting competition and transparency in the petrol market. Members opposite need to look at what they did in 11 years of government. Over Easter we will have ACCC inspectors and officers for fair trading in New South Wales and Queensland on the ground investigating petrol prices and taking action against any companies which are engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct.

The Rudd government take both consumer affairs and competition policy seriously. We take seriously the plight of working families and small businesses, both of which would bear the burden of high petrol prices. The Rudd government is committed to making a difference for consumers. Indeed, it wants to empower consumers by making markets fairer. As well as working for retail price transparency in the petrol market, we on this side will crack down on cartels which defraud consumers and we are instituting a significant inquiry into the grocery industry. The Rudd government is doing everything it can to put downward pressure on petrol and grocery prices, to help ease cost-of-living pressures on working families, together with its five-point plan to win the war on inflation.

I cannot move on without looking at education, another issue that was raised by senators over there, and computers in schools. The Rudd government made an election promise and the government is keeping that promise. The government policy promises access to a computer for every student in years 9 to 12. We are on the way to delivering this promise. The first $100 million of the $1 billion for the digital education revolution will be rolled out this financial year. We have already opened round 1, inviting 937— (Time expired)