The recent concern about motorists being gouged across regional Australia raises the all-important issue of the role played by independent petrol retailers in keeping prices as low as possible. There’s no doubt that having a strong price-competitive independent petrol retailer in a regional centre leads to lower retail prices.
That’s why it’s now even more essential for there to be a federal small business commissioner to whom independent petrol retailers can go in the event of a dispute with an oil company or other suppliers.
If such a commission had real teeth it would fill the gap left by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s inability to be involved in dispute-resolution processes. Full post.