NSW: Petrol hotline reveals possible illegal behaviour = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-1999
NSW: Petrol hotline reveals possible illegal behaviour = 2

NSW opposition spokesman for fair trading Michael Gallacher said the hotline had pitted
drivers against petrol station owners.

"We could find a situation in NSW where some poor person who's working behind a counter at
a station becomes a victim as a result of someone exploding ... because they believe prices
have been fixed," he said.

Mr Gallacher said the debate had moved from possible price-fixing by the multinationals to
attacking independent distributors.

"These people are the front line and quite simply these people could become the victims,"
he said.

Mr Gallacher also said Mr Watkins should be using the powers of the fair trading department
to investigate the hotline's results rather than handing them over to the ACCC.

AAP jw/nd/jnb

KEYWORD: PETROL 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

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