“Regional Australia’s representatives in the Federal Government have clearly dozed off while the Federal Government slides the proposed Oil Code in under the door,” VACC Executive Director David Purchase said. 

“Someone needs to wake them up, and quickly, before this legislation gets to the house.

“They should be lining up to debate it with their sleeves rolled up. If the proposed Oil Code is passed, regional and rural Australia will be paying dearly at the petrol pump,” Mr Purchase said.

“What the Federal Government is proposing in his Oil Code is just not fair: it is unfair to the independent service station operators who will not be given equitable access to discounted wholesale product, and it is unfair to the regional communities who most rely on the independent service station sector.

“This proposed Oil Code will deliver the Australian market into the arms of the oil companies and the Coles/Woolworths big business duopoly,” he said.

“Do we really want to give complete market domination to the oil companies? Because that is what will ultimately happen,” Mr Purchase said.

“The proposed Oil Code makes it easier for total vertical control of the market by oil companies: from base resource, to the refinery, to the petrol station, to motorist’s tanks – they’ll control every part of it.

“Regional representatives must not let this Oil Code pass. If they do, they will have failed their constituencies who will face sky-rocketing pump prices as a result.

“Independents must have equitable access to discounted wholesale product. This Oil Code denies them that.

“The Federal Government’s proposed Code is a disaster for independents and a disaster for regional and rural communities who are most dependent on the independent service station sector,” Mr Purchase said.