Fair Trading Regulation 2012 

Comments closed 25 July 2012 

What is this about? 

The Fair Trading Regulation 2007 is to be automatically repealed and remade on 1 September 2012.

Petrol Price Signs 

A key element of the Fair Trading Regulation is the petrol information standard. The standard currently requires the price per litre of unleaded petrol to be displayed to motorists approaching the petrol station.

The aim of the petrol information standard is to ensure that consumers are aware of the price of fuel before they enter a petrol station and to enhance competition between operators.

Changes have been proposed to the standard. Since the standard commenced in 2000, demand for fuels other than unleaded petrol has increased. Under the proposed standard, the price of ethanol blended fuel, premium, diesel, liquid petroleum and other fuels sold to retail customers at petrol stations, must be displayed on the price board.

Further information on the petrol information can be found on pages 11-13 of the regulatory impact statement, which can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of the page.

The short survey about petrol pricing and signage closed 10 August 2012.

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Fair Trading Regulation 2012 

The objectives of the Fair Trading Regulation 2012 are to provide operational and administrative detail to support the objectives of the Fair Trading Act 1987 by providing for:

• product and service information standards applying to:
  • fibre content labelling of textiles
  • petrol price signs
  • employment placement services
  • funeral goods and services
• the declaration of an industry code for motor vehicle insurers and repairers
• the delegation of functions conferred on the Commissioner for Fair Trading by section 83 of the Gas Supply Act 1996
• a number of offences under the Fair Trading Act to be penalty notice offences and sets out the prescribed penalty for those offences
• savings and transitional provisions.

The Subordinate Legislation Act 1989 provides for the automatic repeal of statutory rules (regulations) after they have been in force for 5 years.

A draft Regulation and Regulatory Impact Statement have been prepared for consultation purposes.

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What's happening? 

The draft consultation Fair Trading Regulation 2012 and accompanying regulatory impact statement was released for public comment. Fair Trading is reviewing the submissions received and will contact stakeholders on specific issues as required.

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Next steps 

Once comments and submissions are analysed and assessed the Fair Trading Regulation 2012 will be made and commence on 1 September 2012.

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Key dates 

The closing date for comments and submissions was 25 July 2012.

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Important documents 

Consultation draft Fair Trading Regulation 2012 (PDF size: 206kb)
Fair Trading Regulation 2012 Regulatory Impact Statement (PDF size: 140kb)

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