A South Australian fuel monitoring blitz during April has resulted in nine petrol stations being hit with fines totalling nearly $8000 and another 11 under investigation.
The Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (CBS) conducted over 500 inspections to ensure petrol stations comply with the law to provide real-time fuel data, which is then used to produce real-time price monitoring.
The State Government plans to significantly increase penalties for petrol stations who fail to comply, this week taking to Parliament legislation that would see expiation notices jump from $550 to $5000 while the maximum court-imposed penalty for breaches would go from $10,000 to $20,000.
In addition, recruitment has begun for additional CBS inspectors, to service the State Government’s $1.2 million commitment to fund an additional 100 inspections each month.
Stations issued expiation notices in the recent blitz include:
- Bulls Garage Coober Pedy (x 2 expiations); Price discrepancy: Unleaded 91, Fuel Unavailable: Diesel
- Caltex Bordertown (x 2 expiations); Price discrepancy, Diesel & Unleaded 91
- United Strathalbyn; Fuel Unavailable: LPG
- Ampol Renmark Depot; Fuel Unavailable: Diesel
- United Berri; Fuel Unavailable: LPG
- Karoonda Fuel Stop (x 2); Fuel Unavailable; Diesel & Unleaded 91
- X Convenience Goodwood; Fuel Unavailable: Unleaded 91
- Caltex Park Holme; Fuel Unavailable: LPG
- Solo Energy Corporation Edinburgh North; fuel unavailable
Alleged breaches included failing to update the price of fuel on the real-time monitoring system within the mandatory window or continuing to list fuel type as being available when it was not.
Under the real-time fuel pricing information scheme, fuel retailers are required to report their prices and availability of fuel to a central database within 30 minutes of changing the price at the pump.
“It is unacceptable for petrol stations to mislead people by failing to comply with our real-time petrol price monitoring,” said Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs Michael Brown.
“We are taking a zero-tolerance approach – naming and shaming those who fail to meet their obligations.”