- Bill to be introduced to Parliament to improve transparency of fuel availability across WA
- Permanent framework to support fuel availability reporting through FuelWatch
- Commissioner empowered to correct genuine fuel pricing errors
- Amendments further strengthen Fuelwatch and Western Australians access to reliable and transparent fuel information
The Cook Labor Government will today introduce a Bill into Parliament to further strengthen FuelWatch, improving transparency across the fuel market and increasing access to accurate and timely information about fuel availability for Western Australians.
The Petroleum Products Pricing Amendment Bill 2026 will modernise the Petroleum Products Pricing Act 1983 and provide a permanent legislative framework for the collection of fuel availability information. The changes will not only help consumers make informed decisions, but better support Government responses to fuel supply disruptions.
Under the amendments, regulations will require fuel retailers and, where appropriate, fuel wholesalers to provide up to date and accurate information about motor fuel availability, supply and stock levels, including when fuel is temporarily unavailable.
Currently, information about fuel availability is provided under the Fuel, Energy and Power Resources Act 1972 but only if a state of emergency is in effect or on a voluntary basis, meaning it is not always available to consumers. These reforms will change that and provide a permanent legislative basis for collecting and publishing fuel availability information on FuelWatch.
The amendments will also improve the fuel-price notification system by allowing the Commissioner to correct genuine errors made by retailers when submitting their fuel prices. This will help stop incorrect prices being published through FuelWatch and that they are applied for the full pricing period.
They will also establish how fuel-availability information may be shared with relevant Ministers and State Government agencies when necessary. However, strong safeguards will apply to protect commercially sensitive information, including restrictions on its use and publication.
These important changes build on other reforms implemented in May this year including increasing penalties for breaches of the Fuelwatch rules from $1,000 to $4,000 and expanding the Fuelwatch boundaries to include every registered fuel retailer in WA.
The reforms will help improve transparency, strengthen confidence in the information available to the public, and ensure FuelWatch remains a dependable service for communities across Western Australia for years to come.
For the latest fuel prices and fuel availability information, visit: www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“These reforms will ensure Western Australians have access to accurate, uptodate information on fuel supply and fuel prices across the State, no matter where they live.
“They also continue the momentum of reforms introduced earlier this year, which brought more than 230 additional fuel retailers into the FuelWatch scheme across WA.
“My Government has thrown everything at our response to the fuel crisis, and we’re not taking our foot off the pedal now.
“I urge drivers to keep checking FuelWatch for the cheapest fuel near them, and I can assure them that if we see fuel retailers doing the wrong thing, we won’t hesitate to act.”
As stated by Commerce Minister Dr Tony Buti:
“Western Australians rely on FuelWatch to make informed decisions about fuel purchases, and these reforms will help motorists have access not only to accurate fuel prices but also reliable information about fuel availability.
“Allowing the Commissioner to correct genuine pricing errors will help ensure motorists receive accurate pricing information through FuelWatch, while keeping the system fair and practical for retailers.
“Recent fuel supply disruptions have highlighted gaps in the existing framework. These reforms provide a permanent legislative basis for fuel availability reporting and will strengthen FuelWatch as a trusted source of information for consumers.
“They also build on other reforms this year, which led to a three-fold increase in penalties for breaches and the expansion of FuelWatch to cover the entire State.”
