Page 226 - Week 01 - Thursday, 14 February 2019

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(d) reasons for significant pricing discrepancies within the ACT and when compared to other Australian communities and capital cities;

(e) consideration of best practice approaches and initiatives in other jurisdictions which have a meaningful impact on reducing fuel prices; and

(f) regulatory and legislative solutions and barriers, particularly around competition and retail margin;

(2) the select committee shall consist of the following:

(a) one Member to be nominated by the Government;

(b) two Members to be nominated by the Opposition; and

(3) the select committee is to report by the last sitting day in June 2019;

(4) the foregoing provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(5) nominations for membership of the committee be notified in writing to the Speaker within two hours following conclusion of the debate on the matter.

Canberrans have been paying too much for petrol for too long. It is easy to find references in this place and in the media to the inexplicably high prices Canberrans have paid for petrol, stretching back many decades. I know I speak for many when I want an answer to the question: why is it that some retailers in Canberra can sell petrol at around $1.20 a litre but the bulk appear to be 20 to 25 cents a litre more expensive? For a standard tank that translates to well over $10 additional that Canberrans are paying each and every time they fill up.

This means that over the course of a year Canberra families are paying hundreds of dollars more than the equivalent New South Wales family each and every year, and without any compelling reason why. I do not think that is acceptable and I am sure colleagues agree. To date, there have been no credible grounds put forward for why our residents pay more every time they go to the bowser. Even New South Wales residents living in more remote parts of the south-east of the state have cheaper fuel.

I have written to the ACCC on this issue on multiple occasions as Chief Minister and as Treasurer. I have travelled to Sydney and personally met with the chairman of the ACCC to urge it to use its investigative powers to undertake a deep-dive analysis on why the fuel market is failing consumers in the ACT.

The ACCC were given ministerial powers in 2014 to investigate fuel markets where there were concerns about fuel prices. Despite the obvious concerns regarding fuel prices in the ACT, we were overlooked for such an ACCC inquiry. Instead they focused on areas like Armidale, Launceston and Cairns. Members might want to contemplate which federal seats those cities reside within.

With the continued lack of interest and advice from the ACCC in relation to petrol prices in this region, we have had to use our own investigative capacity to take a

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