Unrestricted trading hours for service stations

Perth motorists will be able to buy petrol at any time, six days a week, within a few weeks.

"Service stations will be able to open for unrestricted trading, except on Sundays," Consumer Affairs Minister Yvonne Henderson said today.

"Consumers will benefit through access to more petrol stations," Mrs Henderson said.

The change - which means an end to the controversial roster system on weeknights and Saturdays - follows a vote by service station owners last night in favour of voluntary extra trading hours.

Mrs Henderson is awaiting a formal request from the Motor Trade Association seeking the change.

The Minister will then issue an order under Section 5 of the Act, which will exempt metropolitan area service stations from the roster system, except on Sundays.

"This means that service stations will be able to open when they like from 10pm on Sunday to 7am the following Sunday," Mrs Henderson said.

"The new system is likely to take effect when the current petrol roster runs out, at 10pm on Sunday August 16, as a result of retailers' requests.

"This change is the biggest in Western Australia's petrol retailing industry for more than 30 years, and follows a long period of Government negotiation with the industry.

"The key to the new situation is the acceptance by service station operators of an exit assistance package - effectively a redundancy package - for any operator who may be forced to close as a result of partial deregulation.

"This package will be paid by the oil companies."

Mrs Henderson said that talks would take place to determine whether individual country centres wanted to follow the metropolitan area changes.

Western Australia's 870 petrol stations have been able to stay open on Saturdays until 6pm for some time, and the move has been a noted success.

The order of exemption under the Act will be followed by formal amendment to the legislation.