Fuel Price Monitoring

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:57): My question is to the Attorney-General. Further to my question without notice on 31 May, and in light of petrol price increases in metropolitan Adelaide of up to 40¢ per litre in recent weeks, when will the government enact a legislative mechanism for real-time fuel pricing to provide certainty and transparency for South Australian motorists?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:57): I thank the member for the question. In relation to fuel pricing and a real-time solution, we on this side of the house committed, prior to the last election, to investigate this option as something that would provide relief to the consumers of fuel and be able to give them a capacity to identify where and at what rate they could acquire fuel and be able to slot that into their household or indeed commercial budgets to ensure better scrutiny and, I suppose, put effective downward pressure on those who provide fuel to do so at the best available rate.

I have reported to the house previously that Victoria considered the New South Wales proposal and found that this was both expensive and not effective and declined to progress. New South Wales are continuing their program, which is fairly expensive to say the least, and reviewers of that have indicated that there is a likely overall increase in fuel prices. Accordingly, the last time I think I reported to the house that we had considered the Northern Territory model and engaged with them even to the extent of considering whether we would acquire their model and/or program for the purpose of the application in South Australia.

Indeed, we had discussions with the Royal Automobile Association, who had called for some management of this issue, where possible, in a real-time program or a process by which that could be achieved. When I last reported to the house that wasn't effective. The last state, Queensland—as I indicated last time we discussed this—was undertaking a two-year program. I think they have nearly concluded the first year. I understand there will be some interim information available at the end of this year, which we will consider, as to how that's progressing.

On early indications, what I am receiving doesn't fill me with joy or opportunity that that's going to be effective, but nevertheless I am ever hopeful. Obviously, if there is a solution which gives real-time information to consumers, without having the detrimental effect of giving it the capacity to inform other providers and thereby increasing the fuel price, then we will look at it.