MELBOURNE, Jan 3 (Bernama) — Australian motorists have been warned to expect to pay A$1.50 a litre for petrol as crude oil hits US$100 (US$1=RM3.28) a barrel.
Motoring group, National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA), predicted average petrol prices would top A$1.50 (A$1.00 = RM2.89) a litre within the week as international factors prompted the spike in crude oil prices, which had jumped more than 50 percent in a year.
According to the NRMA website, some Sydney motorists were already paying more than A$1.50 a litre.
The Australian Associated Press (AAP) said the average price of unleaded petrol in metropolitan Sydney today was 144.6 Australian cents a litre, with the highest price at 150.9 cents.
NRMA president, Alan Evans, told the APP the increase would be between five and seven cents on top of the present price.
“The average is going to come up around the A$1.50 mark, while in the country, you’re going to see them come up to the mid-$1.50 (range),” he said.
The Service Stations Association, however, was hopeful the strong Australian dollar could offset the increase.