Drivers Urged to Report Gas Stations as 93 Locations Penalized for Overcharging

Motorists are being urged to report service stations they suspect of price gouging, as nearly 100 stations have been fined in a comprehensive crackdown across the state.

This operation has resulted in 93 fines being issued, with 24 of them stemming directly from public reports.

Retailers caught violating the rules can face immediate fines of $1,100 or, if taken to court, penalties can reach up to $22,000 for individuals and $110,000 for companies.

The state is actively ensuring that service stations comply with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s new regulations on price gouging. This includes verifying that any savings from the federal government’s fuel excise reduction are being passed on to consumers.

In the upcoming weeks, most service stations across the state will undergo physical inspections, with a particular focus on those in regional areas.

It comes as the state pours $2.2 million into upgrading FuelCheck, a government-run app that provides real-time fuel prices, as more people reach for the service in light of surging fuel prices.

The number of people using the app increased by 490,000 from 10,000 in January to 500,000 in March. 

The funding will improve data collection from fuel retailers, data analysis and design.

“Over the past two weeks, millions of NSW motorists have turned to FuelCheck to help find the best fuel price and navigate fuel supply gaps,” Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said.

“These are uncertain times, but we want the people of New South Wales to have the utmost confidence in the real-time price transparency data provided by FuelCheck.”

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