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Surprise surprise
Petrol jumping 10c a litre just before Easter? Never!
Oil companies profiteering? Never!
Article from The Australian
Petrol prices on the rise
March 28, 2002
MOTORISTS have every right to be cynical about increasing petrol prices in the lead-up to Easter, Victoria's peak motoring body said.
RACV spokesman David Cumming said prices had generally risen to about 94.9 cents from around 85 cents-a-litre for unleaded petrol in Melbourne overnight, but an increase had been expected because of the weekly price cycle.
However, Mr Cumming said the rises of up to 10 cents a litre were "excessive", and prices were unlikely to drop dramatically before the end of the weekend.
But with at least one independent Melbourne outlet selling unleaded petrol at 91.9 cents a litre, prices could come down slightly, he said.
"The fact that there is a variation around means there's a chance that prices might ease back a bit, but don't expect any major decreases until at least Sunday," Mr Cumming said.
"It's the highest petrol price we've had since roughly Easter last year ... mainly due to the increased price of crude oil.
"But motorists have every right to be cynical if they're driving out of town for a holiday."
Shell general manager for external affairs, Ian McKenzie today defended the price discount cycle and said the pre-Easter rise was the result of competition among oil companies.
"...It's got nothing to do with Easter, it happens every day of the week," Mr McKenzie told ABC radio.
"We agree with the RACV and the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) - use the price cycle to your advantage, fill up when it's cheap.
"There's lots of examples in Australia where the price isn't volatile, go to the regional centres where there is much less competition, the price isn't volatile but it's much, much higher."
Mr Cumming said the fact that oil companies consistently put prices up in the lead-up to public holidays created negative publicity for the industry.
"Year in, year out they do this every long weekend," he said.
"I don't know why the industry doesn't wake up to itself and perhaps recognise it doesn't need to put prices up by 10 cents a litre.
"They bring this adverse publicity on themselves."
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You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen. It said, 'Parking Fine.'So that was nice.
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