Regional petrol stations often feel price spikes first, but about an hour from Perth one independent operator is doing the opposite. Kelvin ‘Blue’ Inder-Smith, who runs Chidlow Growers Mart 46 kilometres east of the Perth CBD, is currently selling Perth’s cheapest diesel and the city’s second-cheapest unleaded.
Motorists have been making the trip to take advantage of lower prices at the bowser. Unleaded U91 is selling for $2.30 a litre, which is more than 16 cents below the state average and just one cent higher than Perth’s cheapest outlet. Diesel, which has been hit hardest by supply chain disruptions and price rises since the war in Iran began, is priced at $2.74 a litre, the lowest available in Perth. The average price for diesel in Perth yesterday was $2.953 a litre.
Inder-Smith says he’s keeping prices down because he “would rather be a good Aussie” than profit from others. “Fuel is like air,” he said. “You have got to use it – it shouldn’t be regulated by people who just want to make a profit out of poor buggers.”
Local customer Eddie Pulich welcomed the savings, saying it was “great” to see. “I’m not sure what sort of a profit margin they end up with, but any saving is better than no saving at all,” he said.
However, Inder-Smith says the cheaper fuel may not last. He doesn’t know when his next delivery will arrive, and when it does he may have little choice but to lift prices. “It’s not a nice thing to see struggling people, and I would rather help than poke them with a stick.”
