Page 1868 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 14 June 1994
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Mrs Carnell: So have I.
MS FOLLETT: Mrs Carnell says that she has as well. I intend to meet with Premier Fahey in the near future to try to encourage New South Wales also to take part in the Speedrail study and, together, to review the benefits that this proposal might bring for this region. I am confident that that study will provide all of the governments with much better information on the viability of Speedrail. If the initial pre-feasibility study proves encouraging we would need the full feasibility, environmental and social impact studies that such a major project would involve. To conclude, Madam Speaker, I am very keen to see further studies done on the Speedrail project because it has enormous potential for the Territory.
Petrol Prices
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is to the Attorney-General and it follows the question asked by Mrs Carnell. Is the Attorney aware of the plight featured in the Canberra Times and the Valley View, and on television and on radio, of Mrs Hanbidge of the Shell service station at Phillip, who is selling her petrol on a margin of less than 0.3c per litre? Minister, what words of comfort will you give Mrs Hanbidge, who told me that she needs 4.7c per litre just to break even? Minister, do you concede that Canberra's petrol retailers are unfairly caught in a cross-fire between you and the oil companies?
MR CONNOLLY: Madam Speaker, I would say that anyone who says that they need 4.7c to stay in business in the petroleum industry must explain to me why it is necessary to have a higher level of profitability in the Canberra market than in any other petroleum market in the country, because that is well above - - -
Mrs Carnell: It is called rent, wages. It costs more than in other places.
Mr De Domenico: Jobs, wages, oncosts, leases.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
MR CONNOLLY: On the MTAA's own figures, rent and other outgoings are about 2.2c. I do not believe that in Canberra it is necessary to operate on a profit margin that is way above profit margins in any other city in Australia. Obviously it has been decided that that particular petrol station is to be the media focus - that I am going to force it out of business - but I know that Shell closed that petrol station about 18 months or two years ago. I am not precise on the dates, but members in the central Canberra seat would well recall a period of about six months when, as they drove around Woden, that Shell petrol station was closed. Shell had closed it. So it is a service station outlet which Shell have made some decisions about as to whether it is viable or not, and it has been closed and reopened.
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