FuelWatch deathwatch.  …Why would the Greens be basing their opposition to the scheme on a failure to reduce petrol prices?… Well yes, of course they want us all to ride bikes, but back in the real world, we are still going to have deal with the price of oil for a while yet.  So again, the objection to FuelWatch on the basis that it won’t lower prices, or that it might increase prices as Senator Milne says here, seems a bit odd for a party with their views on energy use. — Tim Dunlop

FuelWatch deathwatch 2. The other odd thing about the situation is the inconsistency in the reasoning offered by SA Senator Nick Xenephon. He argues that FuelWatch will reduce competitiveness and that he is worried that it will undermine the position of independent petrol outlets. But as others have noted, you can’t maintain both positions at the same time. — Tim Dunlop

FuelWatch dead. FuelWatch might have made a couple of cents difference to the price of petrol… But, as every inquiry on the issue has revealed, there’s not very much retail margin on petrol anyway (though the margins are most likely higher right now than they’ve been for some time). — Larvatus Prodeo

FuelWatch and the Independents. Let’s begin by recognising that the reason the independents have been losing share to the chains is because the chains have marketing and brands the independents do not possess. In objecting to FuelWatch what they are saying is that having a prominent government website with only price information which would strip away the branding issue is bad for them. It seems hard to believe. — Core Economics