A COMMITMENT from the major political parties to ban fraudulent fuel station price signage in Queensland was well overdue, according to the State’s peak motoring body.
RACQ research revealed nearly 40 per cent of motorists found current signage confusing, and nearly half of those surveyed had been caught out by misleading fuel signs before.
RACQ Executive General Manager Advocacy Paul Turner said ahead of the State election, it was time for a guarantee Queensland’s price sign rort would come to an end.
“Both the LNP and Labor have resisted taking on the fuel giants and bringing in fair and transparent signage despite New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia successfully doing so,” Mr Turner said.
“Most signs show a highlighted discount price which isn’t available to many motorists,” he said.
“How can we have genuine competition if the prices on the signs are dependent on having the right voucher or making in-store purchases? This is even more the case with Premium, which is never advertised and has higher margins than ULP.”
Mr Turner said until fuel price signs became regulated, motorists needed to beware of any fine print.
“We’ve witnessed examples of confusing signage in recent weeks with some service stations in south east Queensland advertising fuel prices for as low as one dollar per litre. In several cases however it was too good to be true and motorists needed to spend $20 in-store to be eligible for the signed price.”
RACQ suggested the following criteria form the basis of price board regulation:
• Fuel price boards to be compulsory at all service stations
• Four prices to be displayed – ULP/E10, Premium, Diesel, LPG
• Each fuel price to be clearly and consistently labelled
• Fuel retailers to display the current price (not the discounted price).
For more on RACQ’s election priorities visit www.racq.com/motoringmatters.
