Federal Member for Robertson Gordon Reid has accused State Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch of playing politics over petrol pricing on the Central Coast.
Crouch accused Reid last week of “double standards” over his campaign to hold the big oil companies accountable for escalating and varying prices in the region.
He said this was a double standard, with the Federal Government increasing the fuel excise by 0.8 per cent in February 2024 to 49.6 cents per litre, putting upwards pressure on petrol prices.
“It’s all well and good for Dr Reid to write to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and big oil corporations about petrol prices, it’s just disingenuous at the same time to increase the tax on petrol which itself increases the price motorists pay at the pump,” he said.
“If you’ve got an SUV, like many families on the Central Coast do, with an 80-litre tank you’re paying about $40 in tax each time you fill up.
“The previous Liberal Federal Government reduced the fuel excise from 44.2 cents per litre to 22.1 cents per litre in 2022 which provided immediate relief to motorists across the country, so there’s no reason why Dr Reid and the Albanese Government can’t do the same.”
Crouch said Reid should be doing more in areas he can influence to counteract cost of living pressures.
But Reid said the former Morrison Liberal Government halved the fuel excise for six months only in a desperate attempt to win the 2022 election.
“Mr Crouch has failed to understand that my representations to the Australian Competition and Consumer Competition (ACCC) and the big oil companies were about the Central Coast experiencing higher fuel prices compared with other regions in NSW,” he said.
“My representations were also about fuel prices within our own region being significantly different from one area to another; for example, Woy Woy experiencing higher fuel prices than Wyong.”
Reid said when Labor came to government the economy was “in disarray” and inflation was on an upward trajectory following over a decade of NSW and Federal Liberal Government “economic mismanagement”.
“Since our government has come to power, we have implemented measures that are addressing inflation,” he said.
“(The) Government is delivering cost of living relief that is helping household budgets now.
“This includes Labor’s Stage 3 Tax Cuts which will see 66,000 taxpayers in Robertson receive a tax cut from July 1.
“Our government has also delivered $500 energy bill relief assistance, cheaper childcare, cheaper medicines, fee-free TAFE, free internet, a fully bulk-billed urgent care centre and more.
“I encourage the State Member for Terrigal to not play politics with fuel prices and cost of living and join me in calling out the big oil companies that continue to take advantage of the Central Coast and its motorists.”
Terry Collins
Adam Crouche’s assertion that the 0.8% (1.6c on $2 a litre) is a factor in the pricing disparities that we see is a very poor effort to distract from the real issues.
I regularly look at the Fuel Check website to find the best prices on Diesel. This is regularly at West Gosford. Prices can vary from as much as 40c a litre (in the last fortnight) to the mid 30’s and 26c (today). I travel to Western Sydney fairly regularly. Prices are fairly similar or slightly lower at the cheapest outlets but the difference in price is nowhere near the ridiculous figure of 40c.
I welcome Gordon Reid’s effort to hold the fuel companies to account but will wait and see if this Government has any greater success against the power of these multinational companies.