- Strengthening
FuelWatch to support Cook Government's response to fuel shocks
- FuelWatch
scheme expanded to include every fuel retailer across the State
- Significant
increase to penalties for those who do not comply with requirements
- Part of
Cook Government's commitment to keep WA strong
The Cook Government is
making it mandatory for all fuel retailers across Western Australia to report
their prices to FuelWatch - and increasing fines for those who don't.
The changes will make it
quicker and easier for motorists to find the cheapest fuel sites and check
supply across the State, supporting the State Government's response to the fuel
shock caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
The FuelWatch scheme
applies to retailers in the Perth metropolitan area, local government districts
and other areas of the State, as listed in the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulations
2000.
Currently, this covers
all metropolitan retail outlets, but only about 80 per cent of regional outlets
in Western Australia. The expansion of the scheme will see mandatory reporting
requirements apply to every retailer across WA, adding approximately 200 extra
retailers to the FuelWatch system.
These
amendments will commence on 1 May 2026, giving the sector time to prepare and
comply. The FuelWatch team in the Department of Local Government, Industry
Regulation and Safety (LGIRS) will reach out to the retailers that are not part
of the FuelWatch scheme to help them understand their obligations.
Penalties for retailers
who don't comply with the reporting requirements will also increase
significantly from $1,000 to $4,000. This increase will be in place from
Thursday, 2 April and the government will not hesitate to escalate enforcement
if ongoing non-compliance is identified.
Under the FuelWatch
scheme, retailers are required to notify their fuel prices for the next day by
2pm and the fuel price must stay at that notified price for 24 hours from 6am.
WA motorists are not
subject to price fluctuations during the day, and prices are published by
FuelWatch so that WA motorists can make informed decisions about when and where
to buy fuel.
The FuelWatch system also provides retailers
with the option of reporting whether they are out of different types of fuel. To
assist with the transparency of WA's fuel supply chain, the government will
soon announce measures to make it compulsory for fuel retailers to report this
information, consistent with the National Fuel Security Plan.
For more information,
visit http://www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au
Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:
"Western Australia led the nation with the
development of FuelWatch, which motorists have been using for decades to find
the cheapest fuel.
"The reforms we are announcing today will
expand the FuelWatch system to all regional fuel stations and ensure a better
flow of information through increased penalties.
"Future measures that compel retailers to
flag when they are out of fuel, or close to being, will be of great use to
families, farmers and businesses, and will also help government to better
identify the regions that are experiencing fuel shortages.
"My government will continue to do the right
thing for WA and make the decisions we need to make to keep WA strong."
Comments attributed to Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber Jade
Sanderson:
"FuelWatch is a valuable resource for motorists and it's proven its worth
with more than five million visits over the month of March.
"We moved quickly to enact emergency provisions to compel fuel companies
to provide us more information about their supply chains, so we can work to get
fuel where it is needed most.
"All fuel companies have now provided us with more information,
demonstrating these emergency powers have had an immediate effect.
"I thank the sector for working with us - we will continue to work
together to get fuel out to our regions and our agriculture sector."
Comments attributed to Commerce Minister Dr Tony Buti:
"FuelWatch
was the first fuel price monitoring program of its kind in the world and since
it was introduced in WA 25 years ago, it's proved to be a great tool that has
allowed consumers to make an informed decision on the best time and location to
buy fuel.
"In
times of uncertainty, transparency matters. FuelWatch is a vital service and
the Cook Government is confident that these changes will improve price
transparency and certainty in regional and remote WA.
"We'll
continue to work with retailers and industry to make sure FuelWatch continues
to be a trusted source of information for people to see what's available in
their area."
