Australia: Meet the man to fix petrol price problems

AUSTRALIA’S first Petrol Commissioner was appointed yesterday to force oil companies into reining in their controversial pricing behaviour.

Patrick Walker, Western Australia’s Commissioner for Consumer Protection for the past decade, will become a full-time Australian Consumer and Competition Commissioner, focusing solely on petrol.


Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs Chris Bowen told The Sun-Herald yesterday that Mr Walker’s job was to ensure petrol companies and executives were held to account over their pricing policies.

“If the commissioner asks me for more powers, he will get them,” Mr Bowen said.

Sydney Morning Herald