Canberra motorists continue to pay more for petrol than those interstate with averages prices in the territory remaining stable despite the national price falling by 4 cents a litre.
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According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the national average price fell to 151.7 cents per litre last week although Canberra paid 5.6 cents more a litre at 157.6 cents.
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane all experienced price drops between 8.2 and 9 cents a litre, while prices increased by 9.3 cents in Adelaide to 157.2 cents a litre.
Darwin remains the most expensive capital city at 173 cents a litre followed by Hobart at 160.7 cents and Canberra at 157.1 cents.
Prices remained stable in both Canberra and Darwin while Hobart experienced a 0.1 cents decline in average prices.
The fluctuation in prices across the nation has led Commsec chief economist Craig James to say the national petrol price has lost relevance as an indicator of petrol price trends.
“One week the price is up 4-5 cents, the next week it’s down 4-5 cents,” he said.
“The best indicator of trends is the wholesale price which has broadly trended sideways over 2014.”
Mr James said there was no indication petrol prices would move sharply higher or lower in the short term.
“Prices should ease over the coming week and head towards the low point early next week,” he said.
Average petrol prices in the week to Sunday, June 8:
Canberra: unchanged at 151.7c
Sydney: down by 8.2c to 147.1c.
Melbourne: down by 8.8c to 146.8c.
Brisbane: down by 9.0c to 150.7.
Adelaide: up by 9.3c to 157.2.
Perth: up by 0.6c to 153.5.
Darwin: unchanged at 173.0.
Hobart: down by 0.1 to 160.7