“It can be up to 12 cents a litre cheaper in Taree. I love this town but we’re getting ripped off and it’s just not right.”

He’s so mad he’s written to the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and last week appeared on a local television news bulletin.

He claims that the very next day after appearing on the television, diesel prices (he drives a large diesel-powered bus so was on the look out) dropped 10c a litre at nearly all of the service stations across the twin towns.

He says this is evidence of price collusion amongst local operators.

He is unconvinced by the often-used excuse that transport costs are to blame and describes the supermarket fuel discount deals as another rip off.

“All you hear from the government is that they can’t do anything about it and we have to accept it. I thought the government was in control of Australia, not the oil companies, and Woolworths and Coles.”

In relation to his letter to the Prime Minister, this was referred to the office of Chris Bowen, Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs.

Along with the obligatory ‘I appreciate your concerns’ and ‘let me assure you the Rudd Government will do everything it responsibly can’ the response made reference to the price of fuel in regional areas.

“Automotive fuel retailers may set prices according to their commercial assessment of demand and competition in their areas. Fuel prices in country towns and regional centres primarily reflect the size and competition of the local fuel market.”

So with the twin towns boasting such a large number of fuel outlets, including Woolworths and Coles affiliated stations, motorists like Mr Williams have drawn the conclusion that some kind of price fixing is going on at a local level.

What Mr Williams wants to see is the government taking more control of the situation.

“They do it (set prices) because there’s nobody stopping them.”