Historically low Perth petrol pump prices (compared to World Oil )due to market war between  Woolworths and Coles.  Updated 3 Dec 2004.

My graphic below of daily data shows the radical effect the national grocery chains have had on Perth petrol retailing.  The Perth petrol market will never be the same again. Of course you can still pay more for your petrol if you have not got the inclination to seek a good price but price aware consumers can do much better now, relative to the world oil price,  than they were doing pre-March 2004. Note how the national grocers have greatly reduced the crazy price cycles (graph by AAA) which were driven by OilCo predatory market power.  The AAA graphic shows cycles of 10cents but now price cycles are less than 2 cents. Who would want to have an "Independent Service Station" now, squeezed between the OilCos and the grocers.
My Osama Index (bright green & brown trends) ( OI ) which indicates with absolute certainty the rise and fall of OilCo margins has just made a huge increase at end October sustained through November after being at record low levels during Federal Election campaign.
Could there have been an understanding to try and keep petrol prices off the front pages ?     At the same time as ULP was relatively cheaper; diesel is rising steeply relative to world oil.  Fewer voters use diesel compared to petrol.
Prediction; with summer holidays drawing close and politician's and media attention elsewhere, margins should stay relatively high.  The early December fall in world oil price will assist Oil Co's to keep  margins high.


 The red line daily AIP (AustInstPetroleum)  price for imported petrol is a classic little fairy story, often in excess of pump prices; just like their Terminal Gate Prices (TPG) are often up with pump prices. Interesting that post the election the AIP import price is comparable with high end Perth pump prices. Another way that the post election margins jump shows in the numbers.  As I have said to Fed parliamentarians, we need a Commonwealth Fuel Prices Commissioner, or some such office with teeth to constantly publish updated price data.
Diesel prices have sharply increased in September relative to petrol.  See the AIP web site.  Is this a simple case of margin shifting when attentions are elsewhere ?  Like on the 9 Oct Federal election.
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