Inquiry examines petrol price-fixing claims

A parliamentary inquiry starting today will examine whether oil companies are colluding to limit competition.
The Senate inquiry into petrol prices was established by Labor with the support of Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce.
Liberal Senator George Brandis will chair the investigation, and he says it will examine claims of price fixing.
"We want to examine that thoroughly," he said.
"We want to see if there is anything behind those suggestions of anti-competitive practices and if there is, expose it, and if not, then to allay people's fears.
"I'm not saying there are anti-competitive practices, but those allegations have been about for a long time," he said.
'Futile'
Liberal backbencher Alby Schultz says he doubts that the inquiry will lead to any reduction in petrol prices.
"It'll certainly, in my opinion, be a futile exercise," he said.
Mr Schultz has joined two of his colleagues, Wilson Tuckey and Senator Joyce, in saying the Government is moving too slowly in developing alternative fuels.
"We've been a bit slow in terms of looking at alternate substitutes for petrol, I agree with that criticism," said Mr Schultz.
Senator Brandis has fired a shot back.
"Well, I don't think that's a sensible thing to say at all, frankly," he said.
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