The Queensland Government says it plans to introduce 12 government-owned petrol stations if it is re-elected in October. It also says it will limit petrol price increases to 5 cents a litre per day.
The Queensland Opposition has called the idea “delusional”.
Here’s what it might look like.
Fuel Stations
On Tuesday, Queensland Premier Steven Miles announced his plan to introduce 12 state-owned petrol stations. Government-owned Energy Queensland would own and operate the gas stations instead of private a company such as Shell.
Miles said the fuel stations would have electric vehicle chargers, as well as petrol and diesel.
The Government will select locations based on areas where competition is most needed.
Fuel prices
According to Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ), which advised Miles on the policy, Brisbane was the most expensive city in the country to fill up a tank over the June quarter.
Between April and June, the average Brisbane driver paid a record-high 204.5 cents per litre.
The RACQ attributed high petrol prices to a lack of regulation.
Price caps
If re-elected, the Government plans to limit daily petrol price increases to 5 cents a litre. Currently, there is no limit on how many times a petrol station can increase their prices per day.
It would execute this with the RACQ.
“Prices jump by up to 50 cents in an instant and there’s no way of knowing when it will start or when prices will hit the cheaper phase again,” RACQ CEO David Carter said.
Liberal National Party
The Qld Liberal-National Opposition called the policy “another delusional idea from a desperate government.”
“Steven Miles’ state-owned service stations will pump up petrol prices and push out local independent family-run operators that are holding the big corporates to account,” Shadow Transport Minister Steve Minnikin said.
The Queensland Election will be held on 26 October.
