Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Deputy Leader of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Assistant Treasurer. Is the Assistant Treasurer aware that the ACCC’s modelling of FuelWatch covers the period before the 24-hour rule became fully operational in Western Australia? Doesn’t this further undermine the ACCC’s modelling of the effectiveness of FuelWatch?

Chris Bowen (Prospect, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. What I am aware of is that informed sources this morning released an analysis of the independent analysis by the ACCC. I am also aware that informed sources, whose business model depends, frankly, on the asymmetry of information between consumers and retailers, alleged that the ACCC’s analysis did not take into account that period.

I was informed by the ACCC today that those informed sources are wrong. I am informed that the ACCC’s econometric work tested FuelWatch effectively starting in September 2001, as well as in January 2001. They found a lower price in the west, relative to the eastern capitals, whether FuelWatch was considered to have started on January 2001 or on September 2001. The ACCC is on the side of motorists. It always pays to take independent advice that is rigorously done by those who are paid to stand up for Australian consumers.

Chris Pearce (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Would the Assistant Treasurer table the document from which he was reading?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Was the Assistant Treasurer reading from a document?

Chris Bowen (Prospect, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I was.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the document confidential?

Chris Bowen (Prospect, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I am happy to table the document as it relates to all the criticisms made by informed sources today, and it deals with the ACCC’s data.