LOCAL motorists’ fight for fairer fuel prices appears stuck in neutral after it emerged a Walcha petrol station owner is selling unleaded more than 15c a litre cheaper than Tamworth.
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Adding insult to hip-pocket injury is the fact the Walcha retailer is buying his fuel from Tamworth.
Yesterday, the Walcha Tyre Service Caltex outlet was selling unleaded for 137.9c a litre, while the NRMA Petrol Watch website had Tamworth’s average unleaded price at 153.1c, among the highest regional centres in the state.
Walcha Tyre Service owner John Watson said he was able to buy the fuel from Tamworth’s Caltex depot, ship it to Walcha and consistently sell it cheaper than Caltex servos in Tamworth.
“We still make 8 cents a litre on it but they just mark it up more than we do,” Mr Watson said.
“The three Walcha outlets all sell for a similar price and it’s always cheaper than Tamworth.”
The news has strengthened calls for an ACCC investigation into Tamworth fuel prices, amid accusations local retailers could be engaging in price fixing.
Even a dramatic dive in crude oil prices, which this week hit a five-year low, has done little to change the numbers on petrol price boards across Tamworth.
Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said fuel prices in the city were “a spaghetti mess” and has urged the ACCC to urgently investigate.
“It’s a smoke and mirrors thing and we’re trying to rev up the ACCC to look into how this could happen,” Mr Anderson said.
“We’ve got Coles and Woolies selling fuel in Tamworth too and you would think that would force prices down.
“It’s having a significant impact on people’s cost of living.”
Tamworth fuel prices have long been a bugbear for locals, with both diesel and unleaded consistently more expensive here than in most other smaller regional centres of NSW.
A local Caltex franchisee, who would only comment on the condition of anonymity, said pricing was set by Caltex head office and he had “no control over it”.
Franchisees made just a “few cents” a litre, he said.
A Caltex Australia spokesman said it was difficult to compare market forces in different locations.
“Tamworth and Walcha are 90km apart and are subject to their own unique local competitive forces,” he said.
“International petrol prices have recently been falling, however the speed at which this flows through to pump prices in regional areas can vary.”
Demands by Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall for the ACCC to investigate Armidale’s high cost of fuel last month, and the ensuing public outcry, saw retailers drop prices up to 10 cents a litre.
