The lingering high cost of fuel in the Territory has prompted Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro to call on Chief Minister Natasha Fyles to order a formal inquiry into why Territorians are paying 40 cents more per litre for fuel than other capital cities.

Fuel prices in the Territory remain inexplicably higher than the rest of the country, which had dropped in mid-July from a high of $2.10 a litre but is now at roughly $1.95.

Ms Finocchiaro said the persistent high fuel costs in the Territory have already impacted negatively on households and businesses’ financial health and is causing increase in other commodities such as groceries due to higher freight costs.

“In addition to supporting the CLP Opposition’s pending proposed legislation to force retailers to publish profits, which was first raised by the ACCC back in 2015, Natasha Fyles must immediately announce an Inquiry under the Inquiries Act to tackle the consistently high prices Territorians are paying at the pump,” Mrs Finocchiaro said.

The move, according to Mrs Finocchiaro, would enable Parliament to use its power to call witnesses, including fuel companies and industry experts, to investigate why fuel prices continue to be so expensive.

“While Natasha Fyles and the Labor Government have been silent on fuel and cost of living, we have been doing their work for them,” she said.

“The combination of a Fuel Inquiry and the CLP’s pending legislation should mean that we get answers but also real action on fuel prices. An outcome from this inquiry could include a cap on profits and/or prices as just one solution to this problem.”

Ms Fyles would not commit to holding an inquiry. She said on Tuesday that she remains committed to taking action to lower the costs of fuel and that she has written to the ACCC and petrol industry representatives seeking an explanation for why the NT has the highest fuel costs in the country.

As of today, unleaded petrol was priced at 153.9 cents per litre in Adelaide, 157.7 in Sydney, and 159.5 in Brisbane, compared to Darwin where fuel prices averaged 195.7 cents per litre.