Fuel Price Pain
Dear editor,
With world crude oil prices just over $70 a barrel, it is astounding to see the current unleaded fuel prices in Australia, at almost $2 a litre. Supposedly, every dollar of crude oil equates to one cent in wholesale fuel prices. Even dearer, diesel, which affects the cost of every “goods and services” product, requiring less refining than unleaded fuel, but is more expensive, is the impetus of the higher cost of living crisis in Australia.
What doesn’t help, is the excuse of the giant oil companies in Australia, controlling wholesale price and retail prices, that we are now at the high end of the fuel cost cycle. How we interpret the rise at special holiday times, is price gouging, knowing full well that world crude price has dropped significantly to pre-pandemic levels. But, in reality, it is the Christmas and holiday travel season, which is again an opportunity to exploit motorists and businesses reliant on fuel. Because oil is a global commodity, traded on the international market, its price is determined by supply and demand. Post-Covid, the demand rose significantly with the freedom to travel.
High mobility equates to high demand. It is unconscionable to exploit the Christmas season, to increase already lucrative profits. But ethics and morals have no place in a culture of greed. What is even more unconscionable, is the silence from our Federal and State governments over the windfall from GST and excise taxes. No Christmas joy for motorists struggling to meet the cost of living, which is mercilessly subject to retail fuel costs. World oil prices are a world away from our retail fuel price.
E. Rowe,
Marcoola.
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New year challenges
Dear editor,
As the year draws to a close, it is a time for reflection, and what a year it has been.
As for the Covid pandemic, we are learning to “live with it” as they say, and health authorities deem it a notifiable communicable disease. It is too early to declare the pandemic over and we are yet to transition into a post-Covid era as the LNP Ninderry MP states in his newsletter.
Our new Federal Labor government hit the ground running to address the many diabolical legacies of the previous government; from climate change inaction, poor disaster preparedness, health services under strain, neglect in aged care and appalling international relations among many other things.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent shock waves around the world and impacted heavily on our cost of living with its impact on the world’s energy supplies.
Australians made the right choice in changing the government, 2023 will bring new challenges, both locally, nationally and internationally. Fortunately, we now have a government prepared to step up and address those challenges.
Robyn Deane,
Bli Bli.
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Comfort and joy?
Dear editor,
Will Christmas 2022 bring comfort and joy to the refugees still imprisoned in our hotels and off-shore camps? Will there be gifts of compassion and freedom for them? They still remain imprisoned even after nine years of thoughts and prayers. Just asking.
Margaret Wilkie,
Peregian Beach.
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Dean for PM
Dear editor,
Rowan Dean of Sky News for Prime Minister to save our country.
Garry Green,
Coolum Beach.
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US alliance
Dear editor,
Nothing in this present iteration of Earth can be more heartwarming, more reassuring than the sight of a US Secretary of Defense standing next to his Australian counterpart proclaiming a deepening defence posture. As one pundit stated the US is going to look after Australia. And that to me is like the feeling of your favourite blanky when you’re sick. Or a sweet cuppa when it’s chilly. With China growing more powerful every day and Russia threatening freedom… O Say Can You See? America still shines a ferocious light of freedom all over the world. Long may it continue and God Bless those Yanks. Welcome soldiers of freedom! Make yourselves at home down under.
Dylan White,
Coolum Beach.