Hon Jim Anderton
Deputy Prime Minister

News release

31 March 2000

Shell should cut petrol prices and start telling the truth

Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton has told Shell it should cut petrol prices and start telling the truth.

He is accusing Shell of not telling the truth in a news release it issued yesterday. The company claimed Mr Anderton is refusing to meet with it.

"Shell is a foreign-owned multi-national. Yet it seems to think it has more right than New Zealanders to barge into my office for meetings whenever it wants.

"Nevertheless, Shell been told by my office that I am happy to meet. Shell has also been told that a High Court decision on predatory pricing is due any day. The meeting should be held once the High Court decision has been released, because predatory pricing is the main topic I want to discuss with them.

"If Shell won't tell the truth about something as simple as a meeting, the public can't have much faith in anything the company says about petrol prices.

"Shell has to explain why it is charging seven cents a litre more for petrol in those parts of the country where it doesn't face competition from a small independent retailer. Shell should also explain what it means when it claims that people in Kaitaia are 'willing' to pay more for petrol.

"Shell will have a meeting with me as soon as the High Court ruling on predatory pricing is released. In the meantime, Shell should examine the way in which it releases selective information to the people of New Zealand," Jim Anderton said.

ENDS

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