WA Energy Minister Issues Strong Warning to Fuel Retailers Over Excise Rip-Offs
Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has delivered a firm warning to fuel operators in Western Australia who are allegedly continuing to rip off customers by not passing on reduced fuel excise rates. Speaking at a press conference in Noranda, Perth, Ms Sanderson expressed concerns that some retailers may be failing to transfer the Federal Government's 26-cent-per-litre fuel excise discount, which took effect on April 1, to motorists.
The State Government is collaborating closely with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to monitor margins between wholesale and retail prices for both unleaded and diesel fuel. Ms Sanderson emphasised that retailers are expected to pass on the excise reduction as soon as practicable. Under WA's consumer protection laws, the Commissioner for Consumer Protection has initiated inquiries into retailers' conduct, with potential action if breaches of Australian consumer law are found.
Ongoing Investigations and Enforcement Actions
WA's consumer watchdog has already issued dozens of infringements as part of a separate crackdown on fuel station pricing violations. Ms Sanderson revealed that 33 outlets have received infringements for breaching the "24-hour rule," which requires fuel retailers to notify FuelWatch of their prices by 2pm daily and keep them fixed for 24 hours from 6am the next day.
As part of a targeted program that began on March 9, officers from Consumer Protection have visited 645 outlets—445 in the metropolitan area and 200 in regional WA. Since February 29, 33 infringement notices have been issued, primarily for breaches of the 24-hour rule, with three additional fuel outlets still under investigation.
Positive Developments for WA Drivers
In a positive turn for motorists, fuel prices are forecast to drop again on Monday across all types of fuel. The average price for diesel is expected to be 313.6 cents per litre, while regular unleaded petrol will fall to around 213.1 cents per litre. Additionally, the number of service stations reporting outages of at least one type of fuel has plummeted to just eight, down from around 60 on Good Friday.
Ms Sanderson highlighted this reduction as evidence that the State Government's efforts to bolster supply chains are effective. "This is a huge reduction from around a week ago, where we saw several times that amount," she said. "And it goes to show that the work that we're doing across Western Australia is working to get fuel where it's needed most."
Future Fuel Security Measures
The Cook Government is exploring options to secure its own fuel reserves for future emergencies, as part of a broader strategy to enhance fuel security resilience in WA's supply chains, particularly in regional areas. Ms Sanderson announced that the government is considering establishing a strategic stockpile for Western Australia, involving additional volumes of diesel purchased by the state government and held in storage for challenging times when supply chains face disruptions.
However, Opposition leader Basil Zempilas criticised the announcement for lacking detail and argued that the Government should have acted earlier to shore up emergency fuel supplies. "It's been a glaring void in the future planning and resilience in this space," he said, noting that the Liberal-National opposition had called for a parliamentary inquiry into fuel resilience in WA, which was rejected by the Labor Government in 2023.
