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1. What was proposedMark PartonLiberal · Opposition
   Read the original wording (500 words)

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) according to data released by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Canberra is the most expensive capital city for petrol; (b) Canberra recorded the largest weekly increase in average prices in the week to 16 September 2026 at 17.3 cents per litre; (c) according to FuelCheck, unleaded petrol is around 10 cents per litre more expensive in Canberra than it is across the border in Queanbeyan; and (d) according to PetrolSpy, as of 11 am on 21 September 2026, Unleaded 91 was cheaper in Kalgoorlie, Katherine, Broken Hill and Hobart than it was in Canberra; (2) further notes that: (a) on 14 February 2019, the Assembly established the Select Committee on Fuel Pricing, which would, among other things, consider reasons for significant price discrepancies between the ACT and other parts of Australia; (b) in 2019, the Treasurer also referred an investigation of motor vehicle petrol prices and competition in the ACT to the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) which provided a factual analysis of prices and competition in the ACT; (c) the Select Committee reported in September 2019 following an extensive inquiry and made five recommendations directed towards ongoing market oversight, increased competition, real-time fuel price information, consumer education and examination of the costs faced by ACT fuel retailers; (d) in its response to the Select Committee report, the ACT Government said that it considers the ICRC is the most appropriate body to monitor fuel pricing and competition in the Territory; (e) since that inquiry, NSW FuelCheck has been extended to the ACT and continues to provide real-time fuel price information to ACT motorists; (f) in Question Time last week, the Chief Minister was unable to give a clear answer as to what requests had been made to the ICRC in this regard; and (g) on 7 May 2026, the Assembly passed the Fuel Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, which among other matters, provided the Government with the ability to better conduct enforcement of price gouging offences under the Fair Trading (Australian Consumer Law) Act 1992 through a connection with the Fair Trading (Fuel Prices) Act 1993; and (3) requests the Standing Committee on Economics, Industry and Recreation to: (a) inquire into and report on fuel prices in the ACT, including: (i) current analysis of retail margins, terminal-gate prices and ACT versus surrounding market differentials, identifying whether the structural drivers identified by the ICRC and Select Committee in 2019 still exist; (ii) whether measures implemented following the 2019 inquiry have been effective and existing arrangements for monitoring and responding to unusual movements in ACT fuel prices are adequate; and (iii) whether existing arrangements for monitoring and responding to unusual movements in ACT fuel prices, including the ICRC and relevant legislated frameworks pertaining to fair trading legislation, are effective; and (b) produce an interim report on initial findings by 3 December 2026, with full findings published by 26 February 2027 if it decides to conduct an inquiry. Debate ensued.

2. What the Assembly decidedAgreed

   Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.