Misery at the bowser: Petrol prices soar ahead of the long weekend
- Petrol prices in New South Wales have spiked ahead of the long weekend
- Prices surged by 30 cents across 18 different retailers in Sydney overnight
- The NRMA fears retailers are trying to make extra money out of holiday makers
Petrol prices in New South Wales have spiked overnight, prompting warnings over price gouging ahead of the long weekend.
The cost of fuel across 18 outlets in Sydney jumped more than 30 cents above the average price of fuel in the city, to 135C per litre for regular unleaded fuel.
While another eight outlets hitched the price up to 136.9 cents per litre on Wednesday night.
The National Roads and Motorists’ Association fears retailers could be increasing prices to take advantage of travellers heading away for the long weekend.
The National Roads and Motorists’ Association fears retailers could be increasing prices to take advantage of travellers heading away for the long weekend (Pictured: a fuel station in Blackheath in the New South Wales Blue Mountains was charging 165. cents per litre on Sunday, about 60 cents above the average)
NRMA Spokesman Peter Khoury says there is no excuse for outlets to be increasing the price.
‘Across the community we are trying to encourage people to plan a road trip and start to head out after months in isolation, so now is hardly the time to be artificially forcing up your prices and ripping families off,’ Mr Khoury said on Thursday.
‘While global oil prices are starting to increase … the terminal gate price still remains relatively low so there is no reason for service stations to be pushing up their prices.’
Mr Khoury believes retailers could be trying to improve their profit margins to reverse the fall in global oil prices.
The average price of fuel in Sydney has fallen to 103.7 cents per litre for regular unleaded, and is expected to fall below a $1 a litre.
While the cost of diesel remains inflated by almost 15 cents per litre over its wholesale price, sitting at an average of 115 cents per litre.
Petrol prices in New South Wales have spiked overnight, prompting warnings over price gouging ahead of the long weekend.
A photograph from Blackheath in the Blue Mountains on Sunday revealed one retailer was charging 165 cents per litre to fill up, more than 60 cents than the average.
The NRMA says many retailers are failing to pass on the savings at the pump after a global fall in oil prices linked to the coronavirus.
Meanwhile the cost of fuel in Adelaide dropped to its lowest levels since 2003 last month, with one outlet charging on 63 cents per litre.
Meanwhile the cost of fuel in Adelaide dropped to its lowest levels since 2003 last month, with one outlet charging on 63 cents per litre