27 August 2008

FuelWatch report biased: coalition

The coalition has accused government senators of publishing a "biased" interim report outlining Senate investigations into the proposed FuelWatch scheme.

The Senate's Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee was asked to investigate Labor's plan to force petrol retailers to publish their prices 24 hours in advance of changes.

On Wednesday the committee published an interim report, outlining evidence it has heard at public hearings across the nation.

Coalition committee members Alan Eggleston, David Bushby and Barnaby Joyce said the report had ignored evidence that FuelWatch would not work.

"The evidence received by the committee is not reflected in the interim report," the senators wrote.

"The interim report is, quite simply, biased.

"It ignored the vast majority of evidence presented to the committee that cast doubt on, or contradicted, Labor's premise that FuelWatch would result in lower prices."

Despite their complaints, the Labor-led committee offered support of FuelWatch.

"The majority of the committee believes that a national FuelWatch scheme should be introduced," the report said.

27 Aug 2008

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