Fed: Petrol retailers who collude will be prosecuted - Costello

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2007
Fed: Petrol retailers who collude will be prosecuted - Costello

CANBERRA, April 3 AAP - Federal Treasurer Peter Costello says petrol retailers who
collude to artificially jack up prices at the pump this weekend will be prosecuted.

Mr Costello says the consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission,
has previously placed millions of dollars of fines on companies that had been found to
be working with competitors.

"I believe that the ACCC should take further action against anybody else that it can
prove a case against," Mr Costello told the Nine Network.

"I have asked them (ACCC), particularly in the lead-up to Easter, to continue to monitor
sites, we're monitoring about 50 per cent of the sites around Australia at the moment."

"Let me make it clear, if any service station proprietor wants to collude with anybody
else they are at risk of prosecution and conviction and conviction and heavy penalty."

he said.

AAP sld/cp/de

KEYWORD: PETROL COSTELLO

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