Owner/Driver #328

THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND
Call for diesel to match petrol price drop
Glenn Sterle queries
high diesel prices while
motorists enjoy 1990-
style bowser bargains
LABOR SENATOR Glenn Sterle has urged the Minister for
Infrastructure and Transport, Michael McCormack, to
take action over unchanged diesel prices as the global
price of oil drops.
Sterle, the Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety,
refers to a statement from Westpac economist Justin
Smirk who has predicted that the price of unleaded fuel
could drop 20 per cent by June to around 75 cents a litre.
The Senator says Australia has not enjoyed those prices
seen since the mid-1990s.
“Fuel prices continue to plummet across the country
after the cost of oil collapsed and went into the negative
for the first time in history,” Sterle says.
“However, we are not seeing this reduction reflected in
the price of diesel.
“Diesel is cheaper to produce and easier to store yet
the cost per litre remains high in contrast to falling fuel
prices. Why?
“Diesel is an essential commodity in this country.”
He points to statistics provided by Budgetdirect.com.
au, which stated that diesel was the second most used
type of fuel in Australia in 2018 at 45.8 per cent and was
predominantly used by truck drivers and transport
operators.
“Furthermore, the Australian Bureau of Statistics states
that in the same year, diesel accounted for 59.8 per cent
of the 7,308 mega litres of fuel consumed by rigid and
articulated trucks,” the senator says.
“Given the essential role our truckies play on a daily
basis, which has been further emphasised by their
continued sacrifice and hard work amid the Covid-19
pandemic, where is the Minister for Infrastructure
and Transport Michael McCormack on this issue and
why isn’t he standing up for Australia’s truckies and
demanding that something be done to reduce the cost
of diesel?”
Sterle refers to an interview conducted by 9 News
Riverina in mid-April, in which he claims Minister
McCormack said “… the price of oil is at almost record
lows and that should be passed on at the bowser. There
is absolutely no excuse for petrol companies not to be
passing on the prices at the bowsers.”
Following that statement, Senator Sterle says he wants
to know what the Transport Minister is actively doing
about this issue.
“Has he engaged with transport associations to see
what impact this is having on their members? Has he
engaged the fuel companies to ask them what they can
do to support the hard working men and women in the
transport industry?
“We have already seen truckies face some pretty tough
conditions in our regions with not being able to access
road houses, rest areas and toilet and shower facilities
amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Now that that issue has fortunately been resolved,
what is Minister McCormack going to do to alleviate
the cost pressures our truck drivers are facing at the
bowser?” Senator Sterle says.
“As the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and
Transport, Minister McCormack’s silence and lack of
interest on this issue has been breathtaking. He is the
Minister for Transport; its time he stood up.”
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10 MAY 2020 ownerdriver.com.au