South Australian motorists could soon have even greater confidence at the bowser, with the State Government moving to introduce tougher penalties for petrol stations that fail to accurately report fuel prices.
Premier Peter Malinauskas and Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Michael Brown have announced new legislation aimed at cracking down on non-compliant fuel retailers, strengthening the state’s real-time fuel pricing system.
The proposed Fair Trading (Fuel Pricing Information Penalties) Amendment Bill will increase fines for petrol stations that don’t update their prices, or fuel availability, within the required 30-minute window. Under the changes, expiation notices would jump from $550 to $5,000, while maximum court-imposed penalties would double from $10,000 to $20,000.
The move comes as part of the government’s broader push to ensure transparency and fairness for drivers across the state, particularly with continued cost-of-living pressures.
“No Australian government can control the price of oil, or movement in the Strait of Hormuz. But we can make a difference,” said Peter Malinauskas. “There is no excuse for petrol stations not to comply with real-time price monitoring.”
The real-time fuel pricing scheme requires service stations to report price changes and fuel availability to a central database within 30 minutes. This information is then made available to the public through a range of free apps, including the RAA app, Petrol Spy, Motor Mouth, SA Bowser: Should I Fuel?, and ServoTrack.
According to the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia, drivers using these tools can save an average of $117 per year, adding up to a potential $58 million in annual savings across South Australia.
To back up the tougher penalties, Consumer and Business Services (CBS) has already ramped up enforcement. A recent compliance blitz saw more than 600 inspections carried out across metropolitan and regional areas, resulting in 12 fines issued to petrol stations doing the wrong thing.
The government is also investing in additional resources, with recruitment underway for more CBS inspectors. This follows a $1.2 million commitment to fund an extra 100 inspections each month, signalling a clear shift towards stricter oversight.
“The Malinauskas Government is cracking down on petrol stations who fail to comply with our real-time petrol price monitoring,” Minister Brown. “As promised, we are introducing to Parliament significantly tougher penalties and taking a zero-tolerance approach. The government is delivering on our election commitment to make sure South Australian motorists are not taken for a ride.”
For drivers, it’s a move that could mean fewer surprises at the pump and more power to shop around for the best deal. And with fuel prices continuing to fluctuate, that kind of transparency is likely to be welcomed by households right across the state.
Anyone who believes a service station is not complying with the rules can report it directly to CBS via their website.
