Inquiry into the provisions of the Fair Prices and Better Access for All (Petroleum) Bill 1999 and the practice of multi-site franchising by oil companies

Table of Contents

Member of the Committee (PDF Format) (Word format)

 

Executive Summary (PDF Format) (Word format)

Background

The Bill

Preface (PDF Format) (Word format)

Terms of reference

The Inquiry

Chapter 1 (PDF Format) (Word format)

The Fair Prices And Better Access For All (Petroleum) Bill 1999

Historical context

The Bill

Issues

The Sites Act and multi-site franchising

Chapter 2 (PDF Format) (Word format)

Franchise Agreements And Tied Supply

Premise of the Bill

Structure of the industry

Franchise Agreements

Nature of current franchise arrangements

Impact of the Bill on Franchise Agreements

Chapter 3 (PDF Format) (Word format)

Economic Models Of The Petroleum Industry

Introduction

Economic models of the petroleum industry

Price structure

Factors influencing country petrol prices

Chapter 4 (PDF Format) (Word format)

Competition And Petrol Prices

Price effects of franchising

ACCC concerns about tied supply arrangements

Perspective of the Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP) and the oil majors on competition and prices

Pricing practices and franchisees

Impact of the Bill on the industry

Chapter 5 (PDF Format) (Word format)

Constitutional And Legal Issues

Introduction

Acquisition of property

Effect of redrafting the Bill

Adulterated Fuel

Passing off

Corporations power

Amendments to the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Consultation with the States)

Chapter 6 (PDF Format) (Word format)

Conclusions And Recommendations About The Bill

Committee's views

Chapter 7 (PDF Format) (Word format)

Multi-Site Franchising And The Sites Act

Terms of reference

The Petroleum Retail Marketing Sites Act 1980

Multi-site franchising

Relationship between the oil companies and multi-site franchisees

The impact of multi-site franchising on competition

Impacts on prices

Effects on small business

Other alleged evasions of the Sites Act

Conclusions and recommendations

Government Senators' Dissenting Report (PDF Format) (Word format)

 

Australian Democrats Supplementary Report (PDF Format) (Word format)

Senator Aden Ridgeway

Background

Fitzgibbon Bill

Appendixes 1 and 2 (PDF Format) (Word format)

Submissions Received

Public Hearings And Witnesses