The price fixing by NZ’s cosy little fuel cartel in Kapiti has made headlines this week and BP’s NZ managing director was summoned to Parliament today by the Minister of Energy — story.

We made a trip to Palmerston North and noted prices posted at the different filling stations in each place.  Waikanae’s three outlets are at the top: GAS is $2.14 per litre of 91.  In Otaki the price at each station is $2.06.

And in Levin, at BP and Z it is $2.00.  But the Gull and Allied stations are at $1.91.

The place we filled up at, however, was Mobil’s Awapuni station which is just inside the southern boundary of Palmerston North on the Main Road.  The posted price is $1.94 a litre of 91, but the 6c a litre discount we got with a Mobil Smiles card brought that down to $1.88 a litre.

These differences are absurd, and hopefully the government will deal with it.