PETROL expert Frank Zumbo says Orange drivers are being “ripped off” at the bowser and it’s about time politicians started a campaigning for a significant price drop.
Mr Zumbo, an associate professor within the school of business law and taxation at the University of NSW, said Orange residents should be lobbying Orange City Council, member for Orange Andrew Gee and member for Calare John Cobb, and asking them to go into bat for local drivers.
Mr Zumbo told the Central Western Daily Orange drivers are paying more for petrol than their counterparts in other regional areas. He said the more people who contact the federal government and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to request an investigation into the city’s inflated prices, the better.
“Petrol prices in Orange have flatlined, they’re defying gravity,” Mr Zumbo said.
“Not only do they need to contact their council and MPs, they also need to support the independents [petrol stations].”
Mr Zumbo said oil companies and major petrol retailers continue to “play games” with Orange motorists by keeping retail petrol prices inflated despite substantial falls in world oil prices and Australian wholesale prices.
“The Singapore benchmark price for unleaded petrol used to calculate local wholesale prices has dropped about $15 a barrel during the past month leading to sharp falls in Australian wholesale prices,” he said.
He said these falls in the price of unleaded petrol should have led to sharp falls in the Orange retail petrol prices.
“Sadly, the rip off at the petrol pumps in Orange continues despite the wholesale price across Australia having fallen on average by about 17 cents a litre during the past few weeks,” he said.
“There’s simply no excuse for the failure of Orange retail prices to fall.
tracey.prisk@ruralpress.com
