Tasmanians can expect to pay a fairer price for their fuel after recent data showed the state's petrol prices were coming into line with the rest of the country.
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A recent report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has found the average fuel price in Tasmania had fallen back into line with the national average - but the state's motorists were still paying more.
RACT Chief advocacy officer Garry Bailey said while the prices were still above the national average, the recent data showed the gap between Tasmania and the mainland was narrowing.
"For years Tasmanians were paying more - often considerably more - than other Australians for one of life's basics," he said.
"But as the average prices for fuel around the nation in 2020-21 showed, that yawning gap has closed."
The ACCC June Report on the Australian petroleum market found while the average price for fuel in regional cities was lower than in the five largest cities - Launceston and Hobart recorded higher prices.
The report found the average price in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth had risen from 133.40 cents-per-litre to 142.0 cents-per-litre since the previous quarter.
However, according to the ACCC's report, the cost of fuel in Launceston had risen 11.5 cents-per-litre in the same period, meaning motorists paid 2.3 cents-per-litre more than the five major cities.
Motorists in Hobart were also found to be paying more with an average fuel price of 146.4 cents-per-litre - 4.4 centc-per-litre higher than the big five - and the second-highest of any capital city in Australia.
The Northern cities of Burnie and Devonport also recorded higher fuel prices with Burnie motorists paying 1.4 cents-per-litre and Devonport 3.8 cents-per-litre more than the major cities.
According to the report, the higher prices experienced by Launceston motorists were related to higher transport, wholesale and retail operating costs, and suggested fuel prices in the region were affected by a lack of "vigorous and effective competition".
Mr Bailey said the report - while good news for Tasmanians - clearly showed the state has been disadvantaged by the pricing structure.
"The ACCC's figures, which compare capital cities, show starkly just how disadvantaged Tasmania was," he said.
He said while the state was still paying more for fuel the report showed prices were moving in the right direction.
"While the ACCC report shows Hobart's annual average prices were still 2.4 cents-per-litre higher than in the five largest cities, this was significantly lower than the 13.2 cent-per-litre differential in 2019-20 and demonstrates that we're on the right track," he said.
"Hobart fuel prices - in fact, Tasmanian fuel prices generally - are now much closer to those in other capitals."
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