RAA fuel pricing win, motorists set to save millions

Posted 13 May, 2020 Jeremy Rochow

RAA’s persistent lobbying for real-time fuel pricing has paid off, with the state government announcing it’ll begin a 2-year trial of the system – a move that could save South Australian motorists millions of dollars per year.   The trial scheme will work by requiring petrol retailers to report their fuel prices to the state government before they change it at the pumps on their sites. Prices are then made available to the public through a website or app, helping people find the cheapest place to fuel up.   RAA, which began lobbying the government on this issue prior to the 2018 state election, welcomed the government’s introduction of real-time fuel pricing legislation. RAA Future Mobility Expert Mark Borlace said it will give motorists much-needed timely and accurate information about where to find cheap fuel.   “We’ve been calling for [real-time fuel pricing] because our research shows Adelaide has the greatest variation in petrol prices of any state capital,” Mr Borlace said.

It’s so important that motorists will soon have this money-saving tool.

“The national consumer watchdog, the ACCC, found real-time fuel pricing could save SA motorists tens of millions of dollars a year, which is why RAA has lobbied hard for it.”   Mandatory real-time fuel pricing stipulates all service stations must provide real-time prices. Image: iStock   The state government is now working on legislation to underpin the scheme, before going out to tender in search of a company to compile and present the petrol pricing data. Data will then be made available for private developers, who’ll produce and release the app.