Queenslandâs Labor government turned heads last week with a bold new election promise. If returned to power, it would set up 12 state-owned petrol stations and limit fuel price rises to just five cents a litre on any given day.
The proposal certainly tapped into a pain point for Queenslanders â Brisbane topped national petrol price rankings last year.
But it was quickly met with a predictable pile on from opposing political commentators, industry bodies and some economists, attracting labels like âriskyâ and âdumb and stupidâ.
Mark McKenzie, chief executive of the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association, called it a âwildly bizarre interventionâ in the retail fuel market.
So is the Queensland premier really out of his mind, trying to win votes less than three months out from an election? Or is there actually some merit to this proposal?
Pixiv source (has losslessly compressed image)