Western Australia’s FuelWatch service is being strengthened through a series of website upgrades designed to improve transparency and make it easier for motorists to compare fuel prices and locate nearby retailers.
The upgrades will introduce new functionality that allows consumers to report fuel price and availability discrepancies directly through the website to the FuelWatch team, making it easier for motorists to help ensure FuelWatch information remains accurate and up to date.
Supported through a $485,000 investment, the upgraded platform will include enhanced geolocation functionality to identify a user’s location, will help users more easily identify nearby fuel retailers and compare fuel prices in their area. The improvements will also strengthen FuelWatch's ability to analyse fuel pricing, support compliance and investigative activities, and respond more effectively during periods of market disruption.
FuelWatch usage has increased significantly in recent months, with more than 17 million visits recorded in the six months since the Middle East conflict began. Monthly visits have risen from around one million to an average of almost three million, reflecting strong community reliance on the service during ongoing global fuel market disruption.
In addition to the FuelWatch improvements, the State Government has moved to extend emergency fuel powers under the Fuel, Energy and Power Resources Act 1972. Since April, the State of Emergency has required major suppliers to provide weekly reports on their holdings of petrol and diesel, giving WA the country's clearest picture of local supply chains.
This information is critical for fuel security monitoring, providing visibility and allowing decision-makers to quickly identify and address gaps in supply. With continued disruption to global shipping routes, the extension of the powers has been deemed necessary to protect WA's interests and ensure certainty for businesses, particularly in the mining and agriculture sectors.
The proposal will be considered by Parliament, with a view to extending the fuel State of Emergency until 29 March 2027.
These measures form part of the broader response to the fuel crisis, which has included implementing a Fuel Security State Controller and Fuel Industry Operations Group, creating a strategic stockpile of 20 million litres of diesel, and providing a one off $100 fuel support payment.