NSW cracks down on service station failing to comply with petrol price rules
The Minns Labor Government is introducing legislation this week to crack down on service stations that don’t follow the rules when it comes to helping motorists find the best gas prices. The proposed laws would create new offenses and increase penalties for service stations that fail to report accurate fuel prices and availability through the NSW Government’s FuelCheck system.
The app and website offer real-time fuel prices at 2400 petrol stations across NSW.
Between March 1 and April 30, the FuelCheck app and website were visited more than 22 million times.
Under the proposed legislation, it would be an offense for a gas station or fuel retailer to fail to report the price of fuel or fail to notify if a type of fuel is unavailable.
The proposed laws follow regulations being updated in March, making it mandatory for petrol stations to report to FuelCheck if any type of fuel is unavailable.
Servos who fail to fulfill these obligations may be immediately fined $1,100 for individuals and $3,300 for companies.
Stations that reoffend within 12 months will face tougher penalties of up to $5,500 for individuals and $11,000 for companies.
NSW Fair Trading carried out 3,700 inspections and re-inspections at service stations and issued approximately 230 fines.
Better Regulation and Fair Trade Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said those who did the “wrong thing” would face consequences.
“We know that fair pricing starts with fair conduct at bowser,” he said.
“My message to service stations since the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East has been clear: If you do the wrong thing, you will be caught.”
He said tripling fines for offending companies and making reporting requirements mandatory provided better transparency for NSW drivers.
“These changes, combined with our enforcement program, are intended to discourage service stations from driving around,” he said.
Fairtrade commissioner Natasha Mann said $2.2 million had been invested in upgrading and improving the FuelCheck app.
“Families deserve clear and accurate information when they pull up to fuel up. These changes are about making FuelCheck work for everyone,” he said.
“To support service stations in doing the right thing, the FuelCheck app has been simplified, making it easier than ever for service stations to quickly update information.”
