acapma.com.au/ ACAPMA Articles en 30/05/2012 12:00:00 AM http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fair-work-ombudsman-targets-tasmania-businesses-in-june.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fair-work-ombudsman-targets-tasmania-businesses-in-june.html The Fair Work Ombudsman announced they will visit 120 businesses in Queenstown, Roseberry, Strahan and Zeehan in western Tasmania next month. The June visits form part of an education and compliance campaign and will focus on ensuring employers are complying with record-keeping and pay slip laws. Inspectors will check all businesses... Thu, 16 May 2013 15:17:57 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-yo-yo-service-culture.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-yo-yo-service-culture.html What we’re beginning to see in customer service today is a yo-yo service culture, but what we need to be seeing more of is consistency. Introducing knee jerk service initiatives to train staff in the short term could well be a futile effort if an ongoing service, training, and development model isn’t imbedded in the long term... Thu, 16 May 2013 10:11:37 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp--shell-raided-in-price-fixing-probe.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp--shell-raided-in-price-fixing-probe.html Investigators carried out raids at BP’s offices in Canary Wharf and Shell’s offices in both London and Rotterdam on Tuesday. Raids were also carried out at the London office of price-reporting agency Platts and the Stavenger office of Norway’s Statoil, both of which are also under investigation. Details of the... Thu, 16 May 2013 09:56:34 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/preventing-number-plate-theft.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/preventing-number-plate-theft.html Newcastle Police are hoping to reduce the amount of number plate thefts in the region by providing motorists with tamper resistant screws. They will fit them free of charge in the lower level carpark, Kotara Westfield, between 10 am and 2pm. Over the last few years Bureau of Crime Statistics figures have shown a growing number of... Thu, 16 May 2013 09:49:30 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/greens-push-for-stations-to-display-full-petrol-prices.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/greens-push-for-stations-to-display-full-petrol-prices.html Petrol stations would have to prominently display the fuel price available to all customers - not just the price for those with discount vouchers, under a Greens bill to be introduced into the ACT Assembly on Thursday. Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury, who is also a minister in the Labor government, said petrol should have to display the fuel... Thu, 16 May 2013 09:47:38 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-fake--gun-used-in-petrol-station-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-fake--gun-used-in-petrol-station-robbery.html A horror 24 hours of crime across Sydney’s petrol stations culminated early this morning in the alleged robbery of a Yagoona BP outlet by three men armed with a toy pistol. Just after midnight the men stormed the petrol station on Liverpool Road and allegedly threatened the male attendant with a plastic replica revolver, dragging... Thu, 16 May 2013 09:44:12 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vale-edward-dutton.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vale-edward-dutton.html Edward Dutton (middle) with NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell ACAPMA sadly reports the passing of Edward Dutton on Saturday 11th May 2013. Originally from South Africa, Mr Dutton held the position of Chairman of National Biodiesel Ltd as well as Chairman of National Biofuels Group Pty Ltd, Chairman of the Vida e Caffe Group in... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:56:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/regulation-of-petrol-price-boards-referred-to-as--red-tape-folly-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/regulation-of-petrol-price-boards-referred-to-as--red-tape-folly-.html John Lloyd, Victoria’s Red Tape Commissioner, has asked that the Federal Government’s inquiry into the national regulation for petrol price boards be stopped, “The inquiry should cease immediately. It is another example of wasting taxpayers’ money.” In a media release on Monday, 13 May 2013, Mr Lloyd stated... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:51:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/addressing-members-issues-during-upcoming-board-meeting.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/addressing-members-issues-during-upcoming-board-meeting.html From June 11 - 12 this year, the ACAPMA Board of Management will be heading to Adelaide, South Australia, for the second Board Meeting of 2013. With this important event drawing closer, ACAPMA would like to invite members to contribute by forwarding relevant issues which they would like to see discussed at the meeting. Whether it be... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:43:03 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/taking-compliance-to-the-next-level-with-pcc-for-managers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/taking-compliance-to-the-next-level-with-pcc-for-managers.html Following the success of ACAPMA’s Petroleum Convenience Compliance (PCC) training sessions, the Association has received many enquiries to offer a similar course specifically designed for Managers of Petroleum Convenience stores. The PCC for Managers has been designed to take compliance to the next level within retail businesses.... Wed, 15 May 2013 09:53:31 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-truck-for-sale.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-truck-for-sale.html Mitsubishi Fuel Truck For Sale 1 x 2010 Mitsubishi Fuso Rigid Fuel Truck and 1995 18,000 litre tank Top load. Two pumps & hose reels. Only travelled 48,500 km. $160,000. Contact Paul Wessel, Wessel Petroleum (07) 41500999.   ... Wed, 15 May 2013 09:44:35 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/excise-designed-to-speed-quit-campaign.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/excise-designed-to-speed-quit-campaign.html Secretive tobacco tax changes will form part of the next wave of the federal government's anti-smoking campaign as health policy experts aim to speed up the rate at which Australians are quitting. After doing battle with cigarette companies over plain packaging, the government is refusing to say how much tax it is currently raising... Wed, 15 May 2013 09:29:57 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/oi--mr-swan--what-about-us-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/oi--mr-swan--what-about-us-.html Small businesses are likely to wake up this morning feeling completely disenfranchised by the Labor government, following last night’s Federal budget announcement. Treasurer Wayne Swan made no specific mention of the 2.2 million businesses in Australia struggling against a high dollar and input costs. Any announcements made... Wed, 15 May 2013 09:25:02 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ram-raid-on-united-servo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ram-raid-on-united-servo.html Police are appealing for assistance after a ram raid at a Bellerive Service station early this morning. Detectives from the Bellerive Criminal Investigation Branch are hoping to hear from people who can help them identify the vehicle driven into the glass frontage of the United Service Station on Clarence St at 4.55am. "The... Wed, 15 May 2013 09:16:14 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shahin-family-buying-out-bp-on-the-run-fuel-outlets-in-south-australia.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shahin-family-buying-out-bp-on-the-run-fuel-outlets-in-south-australia.html In a deal worth tens of millions of dollars, the family has bought all BP's 16 metropolitan and 12 regional sites, subject to approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Michaela Webster, the general manager of the family's company, Peregrine Corporation, said today she was planning a fuel discount deal... Wed, 15 May 2013 09:09:27 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cuba-seeks-to-legally-challenge-australian-plain-packaging-on-tobacco-products.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cuba-seeks-to-legally-challenge-australian-plain-packaging-on-tobacco-products.html Cuba has become the latest country to launch a legal attack on Australia's landmark plain packaging rules for tobacco at the World Trade Organisation, the global body says. The WTO said that Cuba had requested consultations with Australia on law requiring tobacco products to be sold in identical, olive-brown boxes bearing the same... Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:17 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nhvr-continues-to-take-shape.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nhvr-continues-to-take-shape.html A fully-functioning National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is continuing to take shape, with the agency gaining ministerial approval for its budget and a new advanced fatigue management scheme. Meeting last Friday, the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure (SCOTI) approved key functions of the regulator, which is due to... Tue, 14 May 2013 10:11:20 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/governments-to-consider-electronic-work-diaries-this-year.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/governments-to-consider-electronic-work-diaries-this-year.html Work is set to begin on the development of a national electronic work diary scheme to be considered this year. Transport ministers have tasked the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and the National Transport Commission (NTC) with completing the work in the wake of a successful pilot of the technology in New South Wales. The... Tue, 14 May 2013 10:09:01 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aradale-bowsers-stolen-in-ararat.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aradale-bowsers-stolen-in-ararat.html Ararat Police said sometime between 10pm last Wednesday and 7am on Thursday unknown offenders have approached the main gates of Aradale NMIT via the main entrance drive way which runs off Grano Street in an unknown vehicle, possibly a utility. They have then used a pair of blue workzone wrench/multi grips to unscrew the bottom of two old... Tue, 14 May 2013 10:05:55 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-after-petrol-drive-off-bungle-at-mt-warren-park.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-after-petrol-drive-off-bungle-at-mt-warren-park.html A 20-year-old man has been charged after an attempted petrol drive-off went wrong with a woman thrown into the air and petrol gushing from a broken bowser near Logan late last month. The surveillance footage of the incident at Mt Warren Park Caltex went viral, showing the woman filling the car up with petrol when an alert console... Tue, 14 May 2013 09:56:38 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/women-and-autogas---safety-and-affordability.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/women-and-autogas---safety-and-affordability.html Gas Energy Australia recently launched the National Autogas Campaign to encourage more Australian motorists to learn about the benefits of LPG Autogas. New statistics from the National Autogas Campaign reveal women value the safety of a car much more than men, with 1 in 5 ranking it as the most important feature compared to just 1 in 10... Mon, 13 May 2013 10:16:45 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-may-ban-alcohol-ads-on-supermarket-receipts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-may-ban-alcohol-ads-on-supermarket-receipts.html The New South Wales Government says it is considering banning supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles from promoting alcohol on grocery store receipts. The NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing says it has asked both companies to "show cause" as to why the practice should not be banned. Greens MP John Kaye wrote to the... Mon, 13 May 2013 09:25:29 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-search-for-two-men-after-armed-robbery-at-blacktown-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-search-for-two-men-after-armed-robbery-at-blacktown-petrol-station.html Police are searching for two men wanted in relation to an armed robbery at a petrol station in Blacktown last night. An employee was threatened with a knife during the ordeal while the weapon-wielder’s accomplice jumped the counter and allegedly removed cash from the petrol station’s till. The incident took place at a... Mon, 13 May 2013 09:08:14 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/consensus-missing-on-abbott-s-ir-plans.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/consensus-missing-on-abbott-s-ir-plans.html Bouquets and brickbat flew in response to Opposition leader Tony Abbott’s industrial relations policy, released yesterday. On the pledge to “urgently review the operation of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal and the need for a further level of regulation”, Transport Workers’ Union National Secretary Tony... Fri, 10 May 2013 15:57:05 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/adverse-action-claims-hit-new-peak.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/adverse-action-claims-hit-new-peak.html Figures from  quarterly reports by Fair Work Commission indicate that some 888 adverse action claims were lodged in the quarter 1 January 2013 to 31 March 2013. This exceeds the previous record of 677 in the quarter 1 July 2012 to 30 September 2012 and certainly represents a significant increase from the 687 applications in the quarter... Fri, 10 May 2013 10:19:28 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/regulating-supermarkets-does-not-check-out.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/regulating-supermarkets-does-not-check-out.html The failure of the ACT's supermarket competition policy is further evidence that government cannot plan competitive markets. They have to evolve from businesses meeting customer demand. Earlier this week, the government announced it was jettisoning its 2010 supermarkets policy introduced after the 2009 Martin review into competition.... Fri, 10 May 2013 09:51:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fiesty-attendant-foils-robbery-at-collinswood-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fiesty-attendant-foils-robbery-at-collinswood-service-station.html A knife-wielding would-be robber fled from a Collinswood service station overnight after the attendant he threatened fought back. Police said the man entered the North East Rd business about 1.05am and threatened the staff member with a knife, demanding money. The worker threw an object at the suspect, who turned away and ran off... Fri, 10 May 2013 09:47:54 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/masked--armed-man-robs-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/masked--armed-man-robs-service-station.html A masked man is being hunted by police after holding up a service station in Spence on Friday morning. ACT Policing said the man, armed with a knife and wearing a mask, approached the console operator of the 7-Eleven service station who was outside the building around 2.10am. The man ordered the operator inside the service station,... Fri, 10 May 2013 09:35:11 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/move-to-monitor-petrol-price-displays.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/move-to-monitor-petrol-price-displays.html Canberra service stations could be misleading drivers about the price of their fuel in the way they display prices, the ACT Government believes. Attorney-General Simon Corbell said a decision-making paper was being drafted after a meeting of ministers last year, when they agreed to consider a national approach to the display of price... Fri, 10 May 2013 09:33:33 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/biofuels-essential-to-meeting-carbon-emissions-target--says-boeing.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/biofuels-essential-to-meeting-carbon-emissions-target--says-boeing.html It began as an aspirational target for airlines but Boeing's senior technology official believes an industry goal to halve the 2005 level of carbon emissions by 2050 is achievable. Boeing chief technology officer John Tracy says biofuels will need to be an essential part of any plan to reach the ambitious target but he is confident... Fri, 10 May 2013 09:31:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mogas-s-99-9c-a-litre-petrol-experiment--win-win--for-adelaide-and-business.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mogas-s-99-9c-a-litre-petrol-experiment--win-win--for-adelaide-and-business.html The owner of a Brooklyn Park petrol station that offered petrol for just 99.9c a litre yesterday has declared the experiment a win-win for his business and for Adelaide drivers. Mogas Brooklyn Park co-owner Steve Kosmidis said his petrol station sold about 45,000-50,000 litres of unleaded petrol between 3pm to 7pm as it dropped the price... Fri, 10 May 2013 09:19:31 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vegemite-price-knifed-as-bargains-spread.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vegemite-price-knifed-as-bargains-spread.html Coles has expanded its "Down Down" campaign to leading branded groceries by slashing the price of Vegemite, corn flakes and Milo. Coles has cut the cost of a 725g box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes by $1.25 or 24 per cent to $4, a 1.25kg tin of Nestle Milo by $1.85 to $12 and 600g jars of Kraft Vegemite by 99c to $7. Two... Thu, 09 May 2013 09:05:10 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-policy-fails--says-iga-man.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-policy-fails--says-iga-man.html The ACT government's recently scrapped supermarket competition policy had failed, says the representative of Canberra's IGA stores. Minister for Economic Development Andrew Barr on Tuesday announced the controversial policy had been dumped, claiming it had brought increased competition in the sector in Canberra. Mr Barr wrote... Thu, 09 May 2013 09:01:42 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/charges-over-theft.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/charges-over-theft.html A man, 46, was arrested and charged for stealing more than $400 worth of petrol from a Wodonga service station. Police arrested the man, from Charlton, at Corryong yesterday. Corryong Police Acting Sgt Ken Clark said he was charged with theft and fraudulent use of number plates and bailed to appear in Corryong Magistrates’... Thu, 09 May 2013 08:54:38 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/convenience-and-petroleum-industry-conference-2013.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/convenience-and-petroleum-industry-conference-2013.html Every year, ACAPMA and APICSA bring together convenience and petroleum industry professionals for a conference of learning and networking; and of course fun…all designed to help participants grow and run successful operations. Simply put, the Convenience and Petroleum Industry Conference equates to the learning, networking and... Wed, 08 May 2013 14:13:48 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-images-spark-new-warnings.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-images-spark-new-warnings.html The Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 is again clouding the way forward for tobacco retailers when it comes to complying with new requirements for Tobacco Health Warnings. The Federal Government through its competition regulator, the ACCC, has been given this message during consultation with Australia’s 6,600 petrol convenience outlets,... Wed, 08 May 2013 09:36:46 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coca-cola-amatil-issues-warning-on-h1-profit--says-retail-price-war-hurts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coca-cola-amatil-issues-warning-on-h1-profit--says-retail-price-war-hurts.html Beverage major Coca-Cola Amatil has called on the government for tariff protection after a shift to imported packaged fruit by retailers led the company to downgrade earnings forecasts. Speaking at the company's annual general meeting in Sydney, managing director Terry Davis said sales to grocery retailers had a very difficult start... Wed, 08 May 2013 09:25:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rise-in-armed-hold-ups-sparks-traders-to-call-for-more-police-patrols-in-elizabeth-and-salisbury.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rise-in-armed-hold-ups-sparks-traders-to-call-for-more-police-patrols-in-elizabeth-and-salisbury.html A supermarket manager and a former petrol station owner are calling for more security at trouble spots in the north following a jump in armed hold-ups. From December last year to March, there were 61 aggravated robberies in the Elizabeth LSA - up 4 per cent on the previous year. But it is the nature of the hold-ups, with staff... Wed, 08 May 2013 09:17:39 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mogas-at-brooklyn-park-to-sell--1-unleaded-petrol-between-3pm-and-7pm--wednesday.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mogas-at-brooklyn-park-to-sell--1-unleaded-petrol-between-3pm-and-7pm--wednesday.html A fuel price war is predicted to continue tomorrow as one Adelaide retailer offers unleaded petrol for $1 a litre. The average unleaded fuel price in Adelaide spiked to 145.5c a litre today but the independent operators of Mogas at Brooklyn Park kept their price as low as 105.9c as part of a one-off deal. This price will fall again... Wed, 08 May 2013 09:04:28 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-leak-shuts-down-city-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-leak-shuts-down-city-service-station.html Police were called to the United Service Station on the corner of Isa and Camooweal Street for a suspected LPG gas leak at around 3pm yesterday afternoon. Police Inspector Trevor Kidd said one of the gas tanks at the station appeared to have erupted and emergency services were on scene. No one was injured and police had sealed the... Tue, 07 May 2013 09:34:40 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-business-must-have-say-in-federal-budget.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-business-must-have-say-in-federal-budget.html These days it’s not uncommon to see headlines about the rising cost of living blazoned across our nation’s newspapers. Australia is a prosperous country and we are all very fortunate to live and work in this great place. The growing cost of living, however, cannot be downplayed or ignored. It’s having an effect on... Tue, 07 May 2013 09:31:42 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/oil-prices-rise-after-israeli-air-strikes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/oil-prices-rise-after-israeli-air-strikes.html Oil prices climbed after Israeli air strikes in Syria raised fresh concerns about rising tensions in the oil-rich Middle East. The main US futures contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for delivery in June, closed at US$96.16 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, up 55 cents from Friday's closing level. The... Tue, 07 May 2013 09:27:50 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/grocery-chains-put-heat-on-suppliers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/grocery-chains-put-heat-on-suppliers.html When Coca-Cola Amatil boss Terry Davis fronts the group's AGM Tuesday morning he will be asked to explain why a bottle of Coca-Cola costs up to two-thirds more in Australia than Asia. It is a question one of CCA's main customers, Coles, asked at the weekend, as the supermarket chains get to the pointy end of negotiations with the... Tue, 07 May 2013 09:25:48 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cash-for-cans--more-complex-than-it-seems.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cash-for-cans--more-complex-than-it-seems.html Container deposits, cash-for-cans, bottle bills. Such simple words that so strongly divide opinion. Depending on who you talk to, the current debate for a national container deposit system has been going on for between 13 and 17 years. Is a system to recover and recycle more bottles and cans worth such angst and effort? The thing... Tue, 07 May 2013 09:22:47 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-sales-fall-as-prices-keep-sliding.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-sales-fall-as-prices-keep-sliding.html Retail sales fell 0.4 per cent in March, erasing part of the 1.3 per cent jump in February, with falling prices the main cause of the decline. The Bureau of Statistics figures show that the largest contributor to the fall was clothing, footwear and personal accessories, down 4.2 per cent. Household goods (-1.5 per cent),... Tue, 07 May 2013 09:19:07 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/charges-over-armed-robbery-spree.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/charges-over-armed-robbery-spree.html Charges have been laid against four men who allegedly took part in a series of armed robberies committed in the Mornington area last week. Commencing on Monday, April 29, the spate of robberies came to a crashing halt last Thursday night when police discovered the men's alleged getaway vehicle overturned on Racecourse Road in... Mon, 06 May 2013 09:21:34 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/brands--at-risk-from-big-retailers-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/brands--at-risk-from-big-retailers-.html The chairman of the company that makes and markets some of the nation's best-known apparel brands has warned of the "all pervasive" power of Coles and Woolworths in the retail sector, predicting the disappearance of a number of well-known local and international brands in the coming years. Pacific Brands chairman Peter... Mon, 06 May 2013 09:20:03 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/boy-with-knife-robs-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/boy-with-knife-robs-service-station.html Police are looking for a boy, believed to be as young as 12, who held-up a South Maitland service station armed with a large kitchen knife on Sunday night. The boy, who was wearing a wig on his head and had a black mask covering his face, entered the United petrol station on the New England Highway about 9pm. He demanded cash and... Mon, 06 May 2013 09:01:52 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/kellogg-profit-falls-in-first-quarter.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/kellogg-profit-falls-in-first-quarter.html Kellogg's first-quarter net income slid 11 per cent on higher expenses and acquisition costs. The Battle Creek, Michigan company announced a $US1 billion ($A977 million) stock repurchase program on Thursday, but shares slipped in premarket trading. Kellogg earned $US311 million, or 85 US cents per share, for the period ended... Fri, 03 May 2013 08:57:19 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-face-life-changing-decision-on-code-of-conduct.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-face-life-changing-decision-on-code-of-conduct.html Monday will be crunch time in the politically charged negotiations between the supermarket giants and the Australian Food and Grocery Council to agree to a supermarket code of conduct that is voluntary rather than mandatory. After months of discussions, Woolworths is scheduled to hold its final meeting with the AFGC on Monday to once and... Fri, 03 May 2013 08:52:57 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-sells-supermarket-portfolio.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-sells-supermarket-portfolio.html Wesfarmers-owned Coles has raised $532 million through the sale of majority-ownership of 19 shopping centres into a joint venture with the country’s biggest super fund ISPT. It will deliver Coles net proceeds of $400 million, as the retailer will retain a 25 per cent stake in the partnership to allow the group the right to remain... Thu, 02 May 2013 09:15:50 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/deputy-hits-out-at-unmanned-servo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/deputy-hits-out-at-unmanned-servo.html Caltex has recently revealed plans to build an unmanned, 24-hour service station in Mount Isa to provide a service for the heavy vehicle industry. Despite the city's lack of fully serviced truck stop facilities, a spokesperson for Caltex said they made the decision to provide an unmanned station due to staffing difficulties in the... Thu, 02 May 2013 09:08:48 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-spill-into-tweed-river-contained-with-catch-boom.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-spill-into-tweed-river-contained-with-catch-boom.html One hundred litres of diesel fuel leaked from a Tweed Shell-Coles Service Station and some has escaped into the Tweed River. On Monday works were being carried out when the spill occurred at the Frances St business. "They moved the fuel and it's caused a spill," Tweed Heads NSW Fire and Rescue Senior Firefighter Dick... Thu, 02 May 2013 09:03:59 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-refinery-workers-return-after-gas-leak.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-refinery-workers-return-after-gas-leak.html Workers at the Caltex oil refinery at Lytton, in Brisbane's east, have returned to the site after a fire caused by a gas leak prompted an evacuation earlier today. Police and fire crews were called to the refinery about 4am in response to a small fire in a petrol-making unit, which was extinguished before the all-clear alarm was... Thu, 02 May 2013 08:57:34 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/claims-man-tried-to-ignite-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/claims-man-tried-to-ignite-petrol-station.html A Northern Territory man is in custody after allegedly trying to set fire to a petrol station. Police allege the 25-year-old man walked up to a fuel bowser on Tuesday evening at Timber Creek, 600km south of Darwin, and pumped some fuel onto the ground. He then took a cigarette lighter and tried to light it, police allege. ... Thu, 02 May 2013 08:52:55 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/online-education-program-helping-small-businesses.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/online-education-program-helping-small-businesses.html A free online education program has been developed for small business to assist them in better understanding and knowing their rights and obligations under the Australian Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (the Act). Funded by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the program is a simple to use interactive learning... Wed, 01 May 2013 13:01:03 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-announce-strong-start-to-2013.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-announce-strong-start-to-2013.html On 30 April, BP announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2013. Overall the results showed strong results; with underlying replacement cost profit for the quarter was $4.2 billion, compared to $3.9 billion in the fourth quarter and $4.7 billion in the first quarter of 2012. “These strong first quarter results... Wed, 01 May 2013 10:11:04 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/why-you-buy-what-you-buy.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/why-you-buy-what-you-buy.html In 2008, a team of scientists in Germany published a study showing how the brain unconsciously prepares our decisions: that several seconds before we consciously decide what we're going to do, its outcome can be predicted by looking at unconscious activity in our grey matter. The researchers, from the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig,... Wed, 01 May 2013 09:19:10 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/brisbane-picked-for-green-fuel-study.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/brisbane-picked-for-green-fuel-study.html Brisbane Airport has been earmarked as the site of Australia's first sustainable aviation fuel "bio-port". Virgin Australia, Brisbane Airport Corporation and sustainable fuel company SkyNRG today announced a feasibility study that will look at using locally available feedstocks such as woody weeds and sugarcane bagasse to... Wed, 01 May 2013 09:12:34 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/suppliers-to-blame-for-high-grocery-prices--retailers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/suppliers-to-blame-for-high-grocery-prices--retailers.html Multinational suppliers are charging Australians more than overseas customers and reaping excessive profits as a reward, retailers have warned, according to The Australian Financial Review. According to the newspaper, Wesfarmers Ltd-owned Coles and Woolworths Ltd say retail prices in both the United Kingdom and the United States are... Wed, 01 May 2013 09:03:32 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-appoints--bravest-woman-in-oil--ann-pickard-to-run-us-arctic-program.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-appoints--bravest-woman-in-oil--ann-pickard-to-run-us-arctic-program.html Royal Dutch Shell is moving its Australian head to run operations in the US Arctic Ocean, a person familiar with the matter says, as the oil major attempts to recover from a series of drilling setbacks in the icy north. Ann Pickard, who has been overseeing billions of dollars of investments in Australian gas-export projects, would take... Wed, 01 May 2013 08:59:34 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-develops-online-app-for-drivers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-develops-online-app-for-drivers.html Fuel giant BP says a downloadable app will soon be available to help long distance drivers find fuel, food and rest areas. The tool is already available online to highlight the BP outlets that offer truck-friendly services on any route across Australia. The “truck driver travel companion” draws on technology and data from... Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:37:59 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sydney-robbery-thwarted-by-duress-alarm.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sydney-robbery-thwarted-by-duress-alarm.html A man armed with a broken bottle smashed up a service station store in Sydney's west as police raced to arrest him after an attendant pressed a duress alarm. Police said the 35-year-old man entered the Villawood station about 5.40pm (AEST) on Monday and threatened the console operator and a customer with the bottle while demanding... Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:32:08 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/finemore-may-pay-more-but-says-fuel-charging-is-best.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/finemore-may-pay-more-but-says-fuel-charging-is-best.html Ron Finemore has thrown his weight behind a switch to fuel-based charging for heavy vehicles, despite the fact the move may increase his business’s running costs. The well-known trucking identity, whose operation hauls dangerous goods, general freight and bulk goods, believes lowering registration fees in return for a higher fuel... Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:28:15 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bungled-fuel-theft-revealed-on-cctv.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bungled-fuel-theft-revealed-on-cctv.html An alleged petrol thief was flung like a rag doll across a Queensland petrol station forecourt as her accomplice tried to drive away, tearing the pump pipe and causing fuel to gush from the bowser. Dramatic CCTV footage of the incident in Mount Warren Park, southeast of Brisbane, has been posted online and shows the woman in a small pink... Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:20:14 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/authorities-target-petrol-tankers-for-speed-compliance.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/authorities-target-petrol-tankers-for-speed-compliance.html New South Wales authorities are putting petrol tankers under the microscope after a tanker driver was caught allegedly breaching the mandated 100km/h limit. NSW Police claims officers detected a petrol tanker on the Olympic Highway on April 24 speeding at Culcairn, prompting police to follow it to a nearby service station to conduct a... Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:12:21 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tas-town-pushes-for-nationwide-bag-ban.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tas-town-pushes-for-nationwide-bag-ban.html The tiny Tasmanian town that a decade ago banned plastic checkout bags has now set its sights higher, calling on the federal government to fulfil a promise to ban the bags nationwide. With a population of less than 300, Coles Bay is one of Tasmania's most popular holiday spots, and in 2003 it became the first Australian town to... Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:10:05 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mcdonald-s-with-a-side-order-of-handcuffs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mcdonald-s-with-a-side-order-of-handcuffs.html Police have arrested two robbery suspects who were spotted snacking at a southern suburbs McDonald's about two hours after the crime. The men have been charged over a robbery of the BP service station on Main Rd, Blackwood, just after midnight this morning. It is alleged that one man was armed with a knife when he entered the... Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:05:41 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/budget-store-costco-has-avoided-a-court-battle-and-can-proceed-to-open-its-first-queensland-outlet.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/budget-store-costco-has-avoided-a-court-battle-and-can-proceed-to-open-its-first-queensland-outlet.html American retail giant Costco has been given the green light by the Newman Government for its first Queensland store, dealing a huge blow to rival Westfield's attempt to lock the competitor out. The decision, to be announced today, could see consumers shopping at the highly anticipated megastore as early as next year. It is... Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:02:57 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ban-on-displaying-discount-fuel-prices.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ban-on-displaying-discount-fuel-prices.html Petrol stations will be banned from listing discounted prices on advertising boards in a move the State Government claims will reduce confusion of bargain-hungry motorists. Business Services and Consumers Minister John Rau today announced a new industry code, which follows complaints that  prominent display of prices which only... Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:00:22 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-men-threaten-staff-with-a-knife-in-convenience-store-hold-up-south-of-brisbane.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-men-threaten-staff-with-a-knife-in-convenience-store-hold-up-south-of-brisbane.html A man was threatened with a knife during an armed robbery at a convenience store south of Brisbane last night. Police were called to the store on Compton Road in Woodridge about 10pm, when two men, one armed with a knife, threatened a male staff member. The 27-year-old attendant complied with demands for cash and the two men were... Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:31:01 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/troubled-dairy-firm-tamar-valley-offered-a--5m-lifeline.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/troubled-dairy-firm-tamar-valley-offered-a--5m-lifeline.html Embattled Tasmanian yoghurt business Tamar Valley Dairy has been offered a much-needed cash lifeline of more than $5 million by four different Australian food companies. Victorian specialist cream, ice-cream and yoghurt manufacturer Bulla -- which is owned by three families -- is understood to be keen to take an immediate equity stake in... Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:19:59 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-drag-queen--robber-cops-order.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-drag-queen--robber-cops-order.html Lara's queen of drag, Ryan Chojnacki, who wore a stuffed bra, wig and gaudy lipstick to hold up a service station, has been placed on a three-year Community Correction Order. Co-offenders Dylan Loverso, 19, and Ashley Bissett, 20, were also given three-year Community Correction Orders in Geelong yesterday. The three each pleaded... Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:15:06 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-launches-job-readiness-program.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-launches-job-readiness-program.html ACAPMA showcases the petrol convenience retail industry at the Jobs and Skills Expos nationwide, providing the mechanisms to create best practiced, trained ‘job ready’ job seekers and bring them together with local employers. As part of the commitment to developing safety and best practice in the industry ACAPMA recently... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:21:13 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-campaign-helping-drivers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-campaign-helping-drivers.html On 7 March 2013, Gas Energy Australia launched a National Autogas Campaign in Melbourne to promote LPG Autogas as the safe, affordable fuel choice for Australian motorists. Running until June, the Campaign informs motorists about the many benefits of converting their existing cars to  Autogas   or purchasing an LPG option... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:56:57 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-receives-highly-commended-at-inaugural-awards.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-receives-highly-commended-at-inaugural-awards.html On Thursday 18th April 2013, leaders in transport and logistics industries gathered together for the Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council (TLISC) Awards for Excellence in Melbourne. Held at the InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, the Awards recognised achievements and contributions made by organisations in training and... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:11:06 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-again-supports-petroforum-asia.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-again-supports-petroforum-asia.html Australian petroleum distributors and petrol convenience retailers will have the opportunity to attend PetrolForum Asia as part of the ACAPMA International Study Tour 2014. ACAPMA and OpenRoom, the London based organiser of PetroForum Asia 2014, have today announced that the Association will again be the major industry supporter of... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:03:04 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/lands-of-the-rising-sun.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/lands-of-the-rising-sun.html Set against a beautiful backdrop of springtime cherry blossoms, Australian petroleum distributors and petrol convenience retailers travelled around South Korea and Japan, from 15 to 22 April, for the recent ACAPMA International Study Tour. A great cross-section of the Australian downstream industry, from senior corporate managers to... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:16:02 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-suppliers-shaken-by-supermarket-milk-price-war.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-suppliers-shaken-by-supermarket-milk-price-war.html It has been a long time coming, but after several false starts it looks as if the consolidation of the dairy processing sector is finally on its way, all thanks to Coles. Were it not for the supermarket major's introduction of dollar-per-litre housebrand milk two years ago (a price matched immediately by Woolworths and Aldi), dairy... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:18:35 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/balaclava-clad-skateboard-bandit-steals-money-after-pulling-gun-on-service-station-staff.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/balaclava-clad-skateboard-bandit-steals-money-after-pulling-gun-on-service-station-staff.html    A man carrying a skateboard and brandishing a gun held up a Gold Coast service station last night.    The balaclava-clad man entered the service station on the Pacific Motorway at Coomera about 11.30pm Tuesday and approached two employees. Police said the man allegedly pulled out a gun and began... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:10:37 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hide-the-keys--thieves-targeting-high-end-cars.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hide-the-keys--thieves-targeting-high-end-cars.html Brazen car thieves are breaking into homes and stealing keys so they can commit crimes and go on joyrides in luxury cars. Police are fighting the trend but officers are frustrated their hands are tied by the policy of not pursuing cars escaping arrest. Inspector Dave Preston said there had been an increase of about 35% in stolen cars... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:01:07 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/broke-teen-stole-fuel-from-servo-three-times-in-two-weeks.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/broke-teen-stole-fuel-from-servo-three-times-in-two-weeks.html A strapped-for-cash teenager who stole petrol from the same service station three times in under two weeks has been warned that crime is not the answer to money woes. James Hansen, 18, was sentenced on Tuesday to an 18-month good-behaviour order for driving off with petrol three times from the service station in Curtin in October and... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:55:07 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/abbott-plans-laws-inquiry.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/abbott-plans-laws-inquiry.html The Coalition is preparing a Henry review-style inquiry into competition laws, including an investigation into the market dominance of supermarket chains, within the first 100 days of an Abbott government. As part of its pitch to two million small business owners who would lose up to a $1 billion a year in tax breaks under the... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:19:57 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mobil-refinery-spill-closes-roads.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mobil-refinery-spill-closes-roads.html Motorists in Melbourne's inner-west face traffic snarls after a small leak from the Mobil refinery forced the closure of several roads. Crews have been performing maintenance work on the Millers Road refinery this week but it is not known whether the leak is connected to that work. Crews from the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, and... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:06:17 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/milking-the-profits---who-s-taking-the-cream-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/milking-the-profits---who-s-taking-the-cream-.html Since deregulation of the dairy industry in 2000, many farmers have got bigger, got out, or got used to a new way of doing business. But the pressure to compete on the domestic front, in particular, has never been stronger than in recent years, with supermarkets seizing on the valuable fresh milk market as a way to secure customers'... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:04:34 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/business-bogged-down-by-a-dud-carbon-tax.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/business-bogged-down-by-a-dud-carbon-tax.html Australians are being dudded by the carbon tax and the crash in the European market last week confirms it. Sadly, the consequences are felt in lost jobs and increasing power prices while Europe heads in the other direction. And here is just one example. Last Thursday morning I met with a cafe owner and the owner of a small local... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:58:46 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/end-of-era-for-dairy-family.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/end-of-era-for-dairy-family.html It is one of the toughest decisions Jeff and Diane Coy have ever made, but in the end the Freestone couple believe they had no choice but to abandon the dairy industry. Yesterday they put their entire milking herd up for auction, alongside the tools of their trade a mixing wagon, a milk vat and an assortment of other equipment critical... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:52:34 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bowser-takes-brunt-of-blue.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bowser-takes-brunt-of-blue.html An argument over 39 cents left a petrol bowser ripped from the ground at a service station on Saturday evening. Police said a woman arrived at the BP Belmont station about 7pm. She began to fill up and had reached 39 cents when she had an argument with a person in the car. "As a result, she's stopped the bowser and... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:42:20 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/misleading-claims-prompt-tca-reminder.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/misleading-claims-prompt-tca-reminder.html Telematics providers have been accused of misleading trucking operators by falsely claiming they can offer Intelligent Access Program (IAP) services when they are not accredited to do so. Transport Certification Australia (TCA) says it has become aware of some transport operators being fed false information when looking to enrol in the... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:34:54 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/apologetic-woman-robs-convenience-store-in-melbourne-s-cbd.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/apologetic-woman-robs-convenience-store-in-melbourne-s-cbd.html Police are hunting an apologetic robber who held up a convenience store in Melbourne's CBD. The woman barged into the Queen St store early last Monday with a piece of cloth covering her arm claiming to be armed. After demanding cash, which was handed over, police said she apologised to her victim on the way out. But no weapon was... Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:55:57 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/thieves-stole-cigarettes--soft-drink-and-cash-in-a-series-of-ram-raids-in-logan-overnight.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/thieves-stole-cigarettes--soft-drink-and-cash-in-a-series-of-ram-raids-in-logan-overnight.html Thieves have stolen cigarettes, soft drink and cash in a series of ram raids in Logan overnight. Three men broke into a supermarket on North St at Logan Village using a stolen white Ford Laser sedan about 2am. Police believe a woman may have also been involved in the raid. Half an hour earlier, two men used the same car to damage... Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:51:21 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hammer-used-in-terrace-hold-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hammer-used-in-terrace-hold-up.html Port Stephens police are looking for a man who allegedly held up a Raymond Terrace service station tonight with a hammer. The man reportedly entered the Caltex on Richardson Road just after 8pm armed with a hammer. He allegedly took money from the register and fled on foot into Gwen Parade. He is described as about 26-year-old... Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:47:11 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/lpg--industry-calls-for-importers-to-bring-lpg-models-to-australia.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/lpg--industry-calls-for-importers-to-bring-lpg-models-to-australia.html In a response to TMR's recent article on the state of health of the LPG autogas industry in Australia, Gas Energy Australia CEO Michael Carmody calls for radical changes to the way the fuel is supported in Australia. He calls for a change to import rules (under Australian design rules) to require vehicle importers, such as Fiat,... Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:43:49 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-woman-rescued-from-submerged-truck.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-woman-rescued-from-submerged-truck.html A woman suffered chest injuries after being trapped for 30 minutes in a truck that fell from a bridge, landed upside down and was left partly submerged following a collision in northern NSW. Emergency services were called out to Dreel Rd, Mungindi, around 10.25am (AEST) on Thursday following reports a fuel truck had collided with a... Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:30:38 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-allows-manning-valley-dairy-farmers-to-collectively-bargain-with-woolworths.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-allows-manning-valley-dairy-farmers-to-collectively-bargain-with-woolworths.html On 18 April 2013, the ACCC announced its decision to allow dairy farmers from Manning Valley, NSW, to collectively negotiate terms and conditions with Woolworths for the three years. Seven dairy farmers will form part of the arrangement and participation is voluntary. Because of this, the ACCC noted that any impact on competition will be... Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:10:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hunt-for-bandits-with-axe-and-pipe-who-held-up-frankston-convenience-store.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hunt-for-bandits-with-axe-and-pipe-who-held-up-frankston-convenience-store.html Police allege two men, armed with an axe and a metal pipe, robbed a convenience store in Frankston on October 29. Police are urging anyone who recognise these men to contact Crime Stoppers in connection with the robbery of a Frankson convenience store. Picture: Police media Supplied The men allegedly threw a bag on the counter of the... Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:21:32 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sweet-news-for-chocoholics-as-cadbury-boosts-its-dairy-milk-packs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sweet-news-for-chocoholics-as-cadbury-boosts-its-dairy-milk-packs.html Chocoholics doing their block over shrinking products finally have some sweet news to savour. Confectionery king Cadbury has boosted the size of its flagship Dairy Milk pack from 200g to 220g, without altering the recommended price. The switch bucks a trend of slimmed-down products such as chocolate, ice cream, chips, cereals, muesli... Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:18:55 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/economic-relief-via-the-petrol-pump.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/economic-relief-via-the-petrol-pump.html While gold’s tarnished glister has been hogging most media attention, a commodity that is actually important has been diving too – and promising at least a short-term boost for our economy. Overnight the world’s key oil benchmark, Brent crude, fell under $US100 a barrel with traders talking about $US100 becoming a new... Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:08:34 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-sets-fire-to-counter-during-armed-hold-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-sets-fire-to-counter-during-armed-hold-up.html A man set fire to the front counter of a Gold Coast service station during an armed hold-up on Thursday morning. The thief walked into the Shell service station on Oxley Drive, Runaway Bay, wearing a T-shirt over his head about 2.30am. He slid underneath the security wires around the front counter and demanded the store attendant... Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:04:12 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/seoul-opens-to-acapma.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/seoul-opens-to-acapma.html While Cherry Blossom trees are in bloom, Australian petroleum distributors and petrol convenience retailers are growing in knowledge gained from the presentations during the ACAPMA International Study Tour. As part of the first leg of the ACAPMA Tour to South Korea and Japan, delegates arrived in Seoul on Monday night. In the first... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:18:47 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victoria-s-plan-to-combat-contaminated-land.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victoria-s-plan-to-combat-contaminated-land.html Earlier this week, the Minister for Planning, Matthew Guy, announced strategies to significantly improve the management of potentially contaminated land in Victoria. Part of the plan, as recommended in the Potentially Contaminated Land Advisory Committee Report, will see old service stations, contaminated sites and factories that pose... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:03:37 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/thieves-fail-in-atm-ram-raid-metres-from-martin-place--sydney.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/thieves-fail-in-atm-ram-raid-metres-from-martin-place--sydney.html Thieves have failed in their bid to steal an ATM during a brazen ram raid just metres from Martin Place in the CBD this morning. About 4am the car smashed through the City Convenience Store’s glass shop front on Phillip Street but was held back by the security shutters behind it.Unable to get the car into the store the offenders... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:01:41 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/spc-fruit-cutbacks-canned.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/spc-fruit-cutbacks-canned.html The horticulture industry has been crushed by news major Victorian cannery SPC will cut fruit intake by up to 50 per cent next year. Growers now fear the cuts will affect entire canning communities. "This has come as a major shock to many fruit growers who had already endured significant reductions in cannery quotas in recent... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:33:12 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-gets-the-cream-with-milk--investment-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-gets-the-cream-with-milk--investment-.html Supermarket giant Coles has uploaded a cartoon video to YouTube explaining its latest move in the dairy sector -- a 10-year supply contract with farmer-owned co-operative Murray Goulburn entitled "Investing in Australian Dairy". "We've listened to what you said about supporting Australian dairy farmers so that our... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:26:53 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/men-charged-over-2003-service-station-armed-robbery-as-teens.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/men-charged-over-2003-service-station-armed-robbery-as-teens.html A 26-year-old man will front the Perth Children's Court today charged over a 2003 armed robbery on a Riverton petrol station allegedly committed when he was a teenager. Police charged the man and a 27-year-old Willetton man over the decade-old robbery overnight. It will be alleged the two entered the Caltex Star Mart on High... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:06:28 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-tell-truck-drivers-to-slow-down.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-tell-truck-drivers-to-slow-down.html NSW Police have warned drivers of heavy vehicles to slow down, after three truck drivers were caught exceeding the state-wide truck speed limit of 100km/h last Friday, 12 April 2013. The first incident occurred just after midnight when police detected a prime mover truck allegedly travelling at 121km/h in a 100km/h zone on the Hume... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:26:23 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tasmania-s-ban-on-plastic-bags-presented-in-parliament.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tasmania-s-ban-on-plastic-bags-presented-in-parliament.html Tasmania may be the next State to ban retailers from using non-biodegradable plastic bags. On Tuesday 16 April, the proposed new Tasmanian Legislation, Plastic Shopping Bag Ban Act 2013, will be tabled in Parliament with the ban expected to come into full effect on 1 November 2013. The proposed legislation will prohibit all... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:41:30 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alleged-armed-robber-at-blackstone-convenience-store-foiled-by-woman-with-loaf-of-bread.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alleged-armed-robber-at-blackstone-convenience-store-foiled-by-woman-with-loaf-of-bread.html An alleged armed robbery has been foiled by a woman who was armed herself - with a loaf of bread. A man allegedly armed with a pocket knife and jack lever walked into an convenience store at Blackstone about 6pm on Monday and demanded cash from an attendant of the Mary St shop. The man tried to take money from the register when the... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:56:21 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fight-to-save-food-producer-spring-gully-as-products-nearly-sell-out-in-supermarkets.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fight-to-save-food-producer-spring-gully-as-products-nearly-sell-out-in-supermarkets.html The battle to save Spring Gully Foods has taken giant strides as consumers almost emptied supermarket shelves of the company's products at the weekend. Coles, Woolworths, Foodland and IGA stores across South Australia reported most of the company's stock had been sold, in the wake of a recent inexplicable plunge in sales. ... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:55:12 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-remain-exposed-if-coles-milk-deal-sours.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-remain-exposed-if-coles-milk-deal-sours.html This time around it really is the Australian dairy farmers who are most at risk from the increase in private-label supermarket sales, but the impact is too early to call and in any case it will be a fraction of the damage caused by a major swing in world prices and the value of the dollar. Amid the warring supermarket chains, cheered on... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:41:36 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-bikie--refused-bail-after-alleged-petrol-theft.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-bikie--refused-bail-after-alleged-petrol-theft.html A Renmark man has been refused bail after allegedly claiming to be a bikie and stealing petrol from a service station in Broken Hill. Christopher David Tiffin, 54, appeared in the Broken Hill Local Court yesterday charged with stalking, stealing, driving while suspended, possessing a knife in a public place and failing to undertake a... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:36:51 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tough-planning-rules-to-target-contamination.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tough-planning-rules-to-target-contamination.html Children's playgrounds, old petrol stations, factories and industrial land will be audited for contamination and hazards under strict new rules to determine risks to health and the environment. Planning Minister Matthew Guy has announced the new rules – designed to introduce clarity as residential development encroaches into... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:30:17 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cheaper-petrol-to-buy-with-gold.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cheaper-petrol-to-buy-with-gold.html What we pay at the pump for petrol should slide noticeably over the coming weeks as the price of the oil drops by around 10 per cent. With gold dropping $100 in the past week, it would be tempting to say I told you so, but I’d be surprised if the gold bubble is popping just yet. The fundamental of the US, Japan and Europe... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:04:49 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fwc-rejects-actu-bid-for-paid-days-off.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fwc-rejects-actu-bid-for-paid-days-off.html A decision handed down by a Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) on Friday, 12th April, rejected the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) claim on three counts it was seeking: Compensating employees working on non-standard hours; Rostered Days Off (RDO’s) must not be scheduled to be taken on a public... Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:56:25 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fight-to-save-spring-gully-must-be-all-consuming.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fight-to-save-spring-gully-must-be-all-consuming.html The battle to save Spring Gully Foods has highlighted the difficulties facing the Australian food industry and small business generally. An unduly high cost structure, the strong Australian dollar and a tough retail trading environment have placed the nation in a difficult dilemma. If these issues continue, foreign money will... Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:33:35 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-men-charged-for-alleged-armed-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-men-charged-for-alleged-armed-robbery.html Bundaberg police have charged two men following the alleged armed robbery of a convenience store at Bundaberg West last night. Police alleged a man entered the Bourbong St store around 8.40pm before threatening an employee with a knife and demanding money from the till. The staff member complied with the man's demands and he... Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:21:24 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-pedestrians-hit-at-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-pedestrians-hit-at-petrol-station.html Two pedestrians have been seriously injured after being run down at an Adelaide petrol station. Police say the two people have been taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment after the incident at Holden Hill, in the city's northern suburbs. A police image taken at the scene shows a white car with significant damage. ... Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:32:17 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/environment-protection-authority-to-carry-out-more-tests-at-old-mobile-site-in-athelstone.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/environment-protection-authority-to-carry-out-more-tests-at-old-mobile-site-in-athelstone.html The Environment Protection Authority is still investigating the extent of groundwater contamination in Athelstone. More than 90 homes near the former Mobil service station site on Gorge Rd were doorknocked last July amid concerns chemicals in the groundwater had moved off site. The contamination includes total petroleum hydrocarbons,... Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:45:38 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alternative-fuel-big-on-benefits.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alternative-fuel-big-on-benefits.html The first of five liquified natural gas refuelling stations for heavy vehicles in Victoria was opened at the Caltex truck stop in Melbourne Road, Wodonga yesterday. The opening was performed by Victoria deputy premier Peter Ryan, who said Wodonga was chosen for its proximity to the Hume Highway and the high number of transport companies... Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:33:18 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chain-of-responsibility-hasn-t-helped--truck-drivers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chain-of-responsibility-hasn-t-helped--truck-drivers.html The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) has released what it calls alarming new evidence from a survey of more than 950 truck drivers across the country that graphically highlights the pressures in Australia’s most dangerous industry and points the finger squarely at big retailers like Coles. TWU national secretary was speaking on... Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:20:56 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-posts-strong-result--vows-to-go-for-value.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-posts-strong-result--vows-to-go-for-value.html Woolworths will continue to target promotional activities towards value-conscious customers in a bid to extend its recent run of sales growth, warning that consumer spending remains highly sensitive to global economic conditions. Australia's largest retailer has posted a 5.7 per cent increase in third-quarter sales -- or 5.2 per cent... Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:11:29 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-arrests-over-drug-sales-to-drivers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-arrests-over-drug-sales-to-drivers.html New South Wales Police have arrested three men and a woman now facing trucking-related drugs charges. The arrests, which saw two men and the woman remanded in custody, were the result of a more general operation against methylamphetamine supply in the state’s north. Police say Richmond Local Area Command’s Drug Unit... Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:52:22 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman--29--admits-maddington-blood-filled-syringe-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman--29--admits-maddington-blood-filled-syringe-robbery.html A woman who held up a Maddington service station with a blood-filled syringe has pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery. Sara Lauren McDonnell, 29, appeared in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court this morning over the November 26 robbery. The court heard McDonnell went into the Maddington Caltex store with a blood filled syringe... Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:18:40 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-out-to-end-plate-theft.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-out-to-end-plate-theft.html A spike in petrol drive-offs with thieves using stolen numberplates to dodge being caught has prompted Sunshine Coast police to take action. Turning the Screws on Crime is a Crime Prevention Unit initiative to secure numberplates to cars using specialised screws, which cannot be undone by thieves using conventional tools. The... Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:51:19 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/independents-push-coast-fuel-prices-to-state-s-lowest.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/independents-push-coast-fuel-prices-to-state-s-lowest.html Independent petrol retailers on the Sunshine Coast are driving fuel prices down as they continue the fight against the supermarket giants. The Coast had the lowest fuel prices in Queensland last month, almost four cents a litre less than prices in Brisbane, according to the RACQ. The price drop is expected to continue until next... Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:46:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-refinery-sale-presents-opportunities.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-refinery-sale-presents-opportunities.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) said that the announcement by Shell to sell their Geelong refinery should be seen as a great opportunity for the downstream petroleum industry. Nic Moulis, ACAPMA CEO, explained that despite the loss of jobs in the region, the sale of the refinery allows the... Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:43:14 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-to-buy-milk-direct-from-farming-co-ops.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-to-buy-milk-direct-from-farming-co-ops.html Coles has announced two dairy cooperatives will supply its milk in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The news follows moves by Woolworths to sign up other dairy farming co-ops in New South Wales. The supermarket giants are moving in to secure deals with farming cooperatives rather than processors. Dairy farmers believe... Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:57:47 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-super-reforms-to-come.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-super-reforms-to-come.html ACAPMA would like to remind businesses in the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry about the upcoming superannuation reform, which will require contributions and rollovers to be sent using a new data and e-commerce standard. The SuperStream reform will affect superannuation funds and employers, with mandated use of the... Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:34:30 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/queensland-a-hub-for-vital-algae-biofuel-research.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/queensland-a-hub-for-vital-algae-biofuel-research.html Algae is developed as a fuel source in Brisbane’s Solar Biofuels Research Centre which was unveiled on Tuesday. It is the green gunk you hope never to find in your water, but scientists all over the world are looking to Queensland to develop it into energy for the future. Algae could become a major power source, using energy... Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:02:04 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cheaper-petrol-in-the-pipeline.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cheaper-petrol-in-the-pipeline.html A drop in the price of a barrel of oil on the Singapore market could push prices down at the pump for Australian motorists. Two weeks after being warned of Easter long weekend price hikes, Australian petrol prices are set to dive by more than 9 cents a litre based on the latest Singaporean refinery numbers. Singaporean prices plunged... Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:40:33 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-over-fuel-thefts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-over-fuel-thefts.html Capalaba police are warning owners of service stations, computer and mobile phone stores to be vigilant after a range of thefts over the weekend. A month-long investigation into petrol bowser thefts ended on Sunday when police charged a 42-year-old Alexandra Hills man with seven counts of stealing. The charges are related to petrol... Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:36:18 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/postage-costs-soar-by-30--as-online-retail-booms.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/postage-costs-soar-by-30--as-online-retail-booms.html The prices of prepaid Australia Post packages have been raised by up to 30 per cent to take advantage of the online shopping boom. For the first time, most of Australia Post's revenue comes from parcels instead of letters, and 70 per cent of parcels are from online transactions. The rises, which come into effect on Monday, also... Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:58:04 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/plea-to-keep--3bn-fuel-tax-breaks.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/plea-to-keep--3bn-fuel-tax-breaks.html Labor is being urged to rule out cutting up to $3 billion in fuel tax breaks for truckies, constructors, manufacturers and farmers to rescue the budget as previously secret documents reveal that Treasury has noted the Greens-led push to dump the rebate for miners does not target other business sectors. The Treasury documents, released... Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:51:47 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths--in-accc-probe-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths--in-accc-probe-.html Woolworths is being investigated by the federal competition watchdog over the way it does business in Canberra, according to a rival operator. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is investigating allegations Woolworths has tried to use its market dominance and financial muscle against smaller grocery shops in the... Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:41:35 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-sceptical-about-supermarket--deal-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-sceptical-about-supermarket--deal-.html Dairy farmers in the Hunter Valley say they are doing it tough and their dwindling numbers are proof. They argue that a price war on milk being waged by the big two major supermarket chains is the main catalyst for the decline in producers. Woolworths say its new plan to buy milk direct from producers is all about providing farmers... Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:07:08 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/northern-suburbs-service-station-raids---two-arrested--one-on-run.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/northern-suburbs-service-station-raids---two-arrested--one-on-run.html Two men have been arrested after an attempted robbery at a Davoren Park service station, while another man remains on the run after raiding a Para Hills service station. In the first robbery, a man armed with a knife threatened staff and stole cash from the Mobil Quix service station on Bridge Rd, about 12.10am. He fled on foot... Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:04:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-crashes-into-gas-storage-tank.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-crashes-into-gas-storage-tank.html An elderly woman has escaped without injury after crashing into a gas storage tank at a Bunbury petrol station. The 71-year-old woman drove into the 120,000 litre tank in Carey Park about 7:40pm (AWST) last night. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services found a gas leak and sprayed the tank with water. An industrial crane... Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:00:08 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/refinery-closures-raise-questions-about-energy.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/refinery-closures-raise-questions-about-energy.html Shell's move to put its Geelong oil refinery on the auction block has again brought to the fore questions on energy security. With dwindling refining capacity, how would Australia cope if petrol supplies were suddenly cut off by a war, natural disaster or other catastrophe? It seems alarmist, but these are the types of questions... Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:56:30 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-seeking-4wd-vehicle-linked-to-nine-fuel-thefts-last-seen-at-modbury-servo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-seeking-4wd-vehicle-linked-to-nine-fuel-thefts-last-seen-at-modbury-servo.html Police want to find a white Land Rover that has been linked to at least nine petrol thefts in the past five months. The 4WD was captured on CCTV vision during a petrol theft and drive-off at a Modbury service station this morning about 6.15am. The unidentified driver was also caught on security vision as he fled the North East Rd... Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:53:38 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-dockets-killing-service-stations.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-dockets-killing-service-stations.html Petrol shopper dockets are "killing" independent service stations, which are now pushing for only undiscounted prices to be shown on all fuel boards. Supermarket discount schemes are being blamed for the death of more than 1000 smaller operators in four years. The industry body representing independents warned consumers... Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:31:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-to-sell-geelong-refinery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-to-sell-geelong-refinery.html Shell is selling its Geelong refinery, leaving at least 470 jobs in the balance. The company's downstream business vice-president Andrew Smith announced its intention to sell the refinery on Thursday and said the company was searching for a buyer with a view to keeping the site open. "Naturally this announcement will be a... Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:06:46 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fast-food-manager--stole-cigarettes-worth--14k-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fast-food-manager--stole-cigarettes-worth--14k-.html A Hungry Jack's manager accused of stealing more than $14,500 worth of cigarettes from a safe in an adjoining service station has gone on trial in the ACT Supreme Court. The alleged theft took place at a building shared by Hungry Jack's and a Coles Express Service Station in Fyshwick, on the corner of Newcastle and Wollongong... Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:59:50 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-robbers-grab-cash--smokes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-robbers-grab-cash--smokes.html Two men - one armed with a knife and the other with a pole - have robbed a Salisbury service station. The men threatened a staff member and stole cash and cigarettes during the robbery at the United Service Station on Salisbury Highway, just after midnight. Police said it was believed the pair fled in a dark-coloured Holden Commodore... Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:55:45 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/personal-risk-to-managers-in-national-law.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/personal-risk-to-managers-in-national-law.html Trucking company managers should make themselves aware of their personal exposure to national heavy vehicle laws, a lawyer advises. Ben Keenan of Holding Redlich also underlines the extent of the powers available to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s officers. “In Queensland, the Act imposes obligations on employers... Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:45:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-style-convenience-on-the-rise.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-style-convenience-on-the-rise.html New research shows that service stations continue to move towards having a convenience store within the station, while the traditional corner store continues to disappear. According to BIS Foodservice’s Route Trade Market 2012 Report Series, service stations with convenience stores have increased by almost 10 per cent since 2010,... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:38:29 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australia-s-love-of-meat-pies-falls-behind-chocolate-and-lollies.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australia-s-love-of-meat-pies-falls-behind-chocolate-and-lollies.html The demand for chocolates and lollies has dramatically increased across service stations and convenience stores as we shift away from one of Australia’s iconic food items – the meat pie with sauce, according to new research by BIS Shrapnel. The BIS Foodservice's Route Trade Market 2012 Report shows chocolate clearly... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:59:07 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/businesses-reminded-to-use-common-sense-with-online-scams.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/businesses-reminded-to-use-common-sense-with-online-scams.html Businesses within the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry are reminded to be aware about recent scams targeting online businesses. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has warned small businesses to beware of online scams reported to have cost business owners more than $8000. Businesses need to... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:16:33 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-pumps-private-labels-once-again--but-grocery-industry-still-pushing-back.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-pumps-private-labels-once-again--but-grocery-industry-still-pushing-back.html Woolworths says the supermarket’s shift to private labels is “irreversible”, and that sales of home-grown brands are growing two to three times faster than other products. But the Australian food and grocery industry is still fighting back, with the industry association telling SmartCompany in a statement it still... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:57:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/b-double-ban.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/b-double-ban.html A ban on B-doubles through the centre of Kempsey could drive business out of town, local truck drivers have warned. Richard Norberry and Paul Lambert - long-term Macleay residents, who alternate shifts in the same truck - hope to persuade Kempsey Shire Council to allow local truckies to continue to use the old Pacific Hwy through... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:48:47 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dockets-for-drinks-deal-under-scrutiny.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dockets-for-drinks-deal-under-scrutiny.html The Newcastle Herald can reveal the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing has issued the two retailers with ‘‘show cause’’ notices and they have been given until April 15 to tell the state government why it should not ban or restrict their latest promotions. Coles and Woolworths in Newcastle, and other areas,... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:38:17 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victoria-police-cracking-down-on-illegal-street-windscreen-washers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victoria-police-cracking-down-on-illegal-street-windscreen-washers.html Authorities are cracking down on illegal street windscreen washers who frequent Melbourne's intersections amid concerns they are putting safety at risk. One traveller estimated he could earn as much as $140 a day, and teens as young as 14 are hitting the streets with squeegees. Older drivers are avoiding streets staked out by the... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:29:08 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-monitor-collective-agreement-trial.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-monitor-collective-agreement-trial.html Dairy farmers in Victoria will be watching a new scheme of direct price negotiations between seven farmers in New South Wales and a major supermarket chain. Woolworths is trialling the collective agreement with a group of dairy farmers in the Manning Valley, on the New South Wales mid-north coast. The president of United Dairyfarmers... Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:58:32 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-tightens-the-screws-on-suppliers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-tightens-the-screws-on-suppliers.html Coles demands health-food manufacturers pay for their products to be removed as the retailer launches a gluten-free range. An email sent to suppliers by Victor Simonovich, Coles merchandise category manager for health foods, details a range of strict conditions manufacturers must abide by if they want to keep Coles as a customer and... Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:52:36 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/manufacturing--retail-lead-cautionary-mood.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/manufacturing--retail-lead-cautionary-mood.html A patchy economy, the lingering fallout from the global financial crisis and the looming federal election have put the brakes on capital investment in Australia, according to the latest report card on business expectations. The survey by Dun & Bradstreet shows the outlook for capital investment in the June quarter has fallen to its... Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:41:32 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/non-bank-lender-s-offer-adds-fuel-to-the-fire.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/non-bank-lender-s-offer-adds-fuel-to-the-fire.html Non-bank lender Iden Group has launched an innovative marketing strategy aimed at its home loan customers, offering fuel discounts to those who borrow above a certain threshold. Home buyers taking out a loan of at least $200,000 will now receive up to $1 per litre off the cost of their fuel, says Iden Group director, Barrie Gaubert. ... Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:23:56 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/controversial-petrol-station-pushed-aside-for-community.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/controversial-petrol-station-pushed-aside-for-community.html The people of Maleny have proven that in the battle between friendship and business, friendship trumps all. Maleny IGA owners Rob and Sam Outridge have bowed to the community's wishes and withdrawn their application to operate a petrol station opposite Maleny State School. The proposed development had upset many people, including... Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:18:27 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-dairy-case-a-deep--dark-place.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-dairy-case-a-deep--dark-place.html 'Both Coles and Woolworths have entered direct relationships with all sorts of primary producers and we will probably see the trend continue.' First it was the milk wars. Now it is the spin war around the milk wars. Woolworths used the forum of the Royal Agricultural Show in Sydney to launch a deal to buy milk directly from a... Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:34:25 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-wanted-over-stolen-credit-card.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-wanted-over-stolen-credit-card.html Lake Macquarie police are hoping to identify a man they believe can help them in their investigations into a stolen credit card used to make purchases across the Newcastle region. Police say a Marks Point home was broken into earlier this month while the people inside were asleep. The credit card was stolen, along with their car,... Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:28:10 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-to-keep-eye-on-fuel-vouchers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-to-keep-eye-on-fuel-vouchers.html Motorists can get cheaper fuel now with discount vouchers from the big two supermarkets but they could end up the losers if that competition squeezes out independent petrol stations, the boss of the consumer watchdog says. Both major supermarkets offer cheaper fuel at partner service stations for people who spend a minimum amount at... Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:08:18 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailers-urged-to-prepare-for-more-tobacco-changes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailers-urged-to-prepare-for-more-tobacco-changes.html Tobacco retailers face fines of up to $1.1 million for businesses and up to $220,000 for individuals for failing to comply with the latest round of tobacco regulations. The Competition and Consumer (Tobacco) Information Standard 2011 (Tobacco Standard) places requirements on manufacturers and suppliers (including retailers) to comply... Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:57:48 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/special-alert--worksafe-vic-heavy-vehicle-compliance-audit-campaign-has-commenced.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/special-alert--worksafe-vic-heavy-vehicle-compliance-audit-campaign-has-commenced.html ACPAMA would like a notify businesses within the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry that as part of the ongoing commitment to safe workplaces, WorkSafe VIC is conducting a series of focused Heavy Vehicle Compliance Audits. The inspections are running in metro and regional areas of VIC on roadsides as well as at... Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:11:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/special-alert--workcover-nsw-retail-gas-audit-campaign-has-commenced.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/special-alert--workcover-nsw-retail-gas-audit-campaign-has-commenced.html ACAPMA would like to remind businesses in the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry that WorkCover NSW have commenced a series of focused inspections at retail outlets, aimed at the safe storage, use and decanting of LPG.The inspections will be run all over NSW, in metro and regional areas, and are a key priority for... Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:47:45 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/charged-for-window-shopping.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/charged-for-window-shopping.html A Brisbane specialty grocery store owner is charging customers to browse after becoming fed up with people who enquire but don't buy. A poster telling customers they'll be charged $5 for browsing if they don't purchase anything has been put up at Celiac Supplies in the suburb of Coorparoo. Owner of the gluten free produce... Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:24:45 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-puts-on-a-new-face.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-puts-on-a-new-face.html A trip to the supermarket for the bread and milk just got a total makeover. Woolworths is now offering free makeovers, skin consultations and mini-manicures in its city store, with plans to expand it nationally. Trained beauty professionals will be on hand to apply cosmetics such as L'Oreal and Max Factor and offer make-up... Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:14:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nod-for-woolies-to-cut-out-milk-middleman.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nod-for-woolies-to-cut-out-milk-middleman.html Competition tsar Rod Sims has given his blessing to Woolworths' plan to buy milk directly from dairy farmers, paying them higher prices to counter perceptions that discounting is hurting suppliers. A group of seven farmers from the Manning Valley in northern NSW have applied to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission for... Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:11:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ethanol-fuel-checks-urged.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ethanol-fuel-checks-urged.html The introduction of ethanol-blended petrol in WA has prompted warnings for motorists to check its suitability in some cars. United Petroleum, one of the biggest independent fuel companies in Australia, has started selling petrol that contains 10 per cent ethanol at about 16 of its outlets around Perth. It says the introduction of the... Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:57:47 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-supermarket-a-possibility.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-supermarket-a-possibility.html It’s fifty-fifty. Some residents like the sound of American retail giant Costco opening close by, others aren't so convinced. Marsden Park has been tipped to house the next discount supermarket and if it goes ahead the international chain would make up part of the new industrial precinct, alongside Bunnings and IKEA on... Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:40:27 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robber-equipped-for-romance-as-he-snatches-chocolates--flowers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robber-equipped-for-romance-as-he-snatches-chocolates--flowers.html A robber has fled with nothing but chocolates and flowers after a botched raid on a service station in Adelaide's inner-south overnight. Police say that just before 12.30am a man entered the BP On the Run at the intersection of Belair and Cross roads, Hawthorn, and threatened the staff member, suggesting he was armed with a gun. ... Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:36:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/teen--put-meat-pies-down-his-pants-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/teen--put-meat-pies-down-his-pants-.html A boy accused of putting meat pies down his pants at a Hamilton Hill service station will face Fremantle Children's Court today. The 17-year-old Hamilton Hill boy is alleged to have entered the service station about 10.30pm last night and proceeded to put a number of meat pies down the front of his pants. When an attendant... Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:32:39 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/derelict-fuel-tank-funding.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/derelict-fuel-tank-funding.html Dungog’s Modern Motors has been selected as a test site for a remediation program for derelict petroleum tanks which exist within the road reserve. Dungog Council has received funding of $200,000 from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to carry out the remediation project which will be used as a model for future... Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:01:52 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sale-service-station-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sale-service-station-robbery.html Police have arrested a teenager in relation to the alleged robbery of the Freedom Fuel, York St, Sale, petrol station about 7pm last Thursday. Police allege the 17-year-old male threatened the service attendant as he made demands for money, fleeing with a quantity of cash. He was apprehended by police a short time afterwards. ... Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:55:56 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/healthy-locals-want-reduction-in-fast-food-on-the-coast.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/healthy-locals-want-reduction-in-fast-food-on-the-coast.html People aged 45-64 on the Sunshine Coast consider themselves "pretty healthy" and fear for the expanding waistlines of their neighbours. More than 500 residents from the Sunshine Coast and 200 from Gympie have been surveyed as part of Sunshine Coast Medicare Local's Taking the Pulse initiative. It's the first time... Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:02:22 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/teenagers-facing-charges-after-prank-goes-viral.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/teenagers-facing-charges-after-prank-goes-viral.html The internet has spawned many ridiculous trends. Coneing, planking, the Harlem shake and now… the gallon smash. Three pranksters are facing criminal charges after they recorded themselves smashing containers of milk and juice in local supermarkets in the US. Video shows the teenagers carrying out "gallon smashing",... Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:57:38 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/syringe-bandit-at-large.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/syringe-bandit-at-large.html Police are searching for a female who threatened a male Burnie service station attendant with a syringe, before making off with cash. Witnesses to the incident at the United Service Station in Ladbroke St, Burnie, between 5.30 and 6.30am on Saturday are urged to contact police. The attendant complied with the female's demands,... Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:52:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cheap--plentiful-and-cleaner.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cheap--plentiful-and-cleaner.html The world increasingly is turning to gas to help meet immense growth in overall global energy demand. And the way US oil and gas giant ExxonMobil sees it, there are some very simply reasons for the rise of gas. It is plentiful, cost competitive, versatile and, in a world increasingly focused on carbon emissions, it is a much cleaner fuel... Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:48:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-trade-rife-in-border-communities.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-trade-rife-in-border-communities.html A Lake Nash woman has hit back at claims there is no petrol sniffing problem stemming from Urandangi, saying there was a large number of teenagers trading fuel over the Northern Territory border. A business owner in the town said recently she would not switch her unleaded fuel supply to non-sniffable Opal Fuel as there was no problem in... Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:42:47 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/opal-fuel-sparks-debate.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/opal-fuel-sparks-debate.html Classic car enthusiast Stuart Cameron says if all unleaded fuels were swapped for Opal fuel he won't be able to drive his beloved 1968 Mustang Fastback or his family's reliable Mazda CX7 wagon. The Mount Isa Muscle Association member said turbo-charged engine cars would not perform at their peak if Opal fuel was the only fuel... Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:40:21 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/study-finds-widespread-ignorance-about-carbon-tax.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/study-finds-widespread-ignorance-about-carbon-tax.html Australians are so ignorant about the carbon tax that more than half think it has pushed up the price of petrol. Nine months after its introduction 54 per cent of people believed the tax, which specifically excludes motor fuel, had pushed up prices at service stations. Most people surveyed also estimated that their cost of living had... Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:32:18 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/safety-first-bean-gives-them-drive.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/safety-first-bean-gives-them-drive.html One more cup of coffee for the road is a good motto for safety for truck drivers, a new study has show. Researchers at the University of Sydney found drinking coffee or caffeine energy drinks was making long-distance truck drivers safer at the wheel, with data showing commercial drivers who use the products to stay awake were... Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:44:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rod-sims--shopping-for-a-good-deal.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rod-sims--shopping-for-a-good-deal.html There’s a very good chance that Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims will have to run his ruler over a merger in the media industry in the 3½ years he has left of his five-year term at the helm of the competition regulator. As it stands now, the ACCC is responsible for dealing with... Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:25:57 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fruit-and-veges-are-being-pulped-by-cheap-shots.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fruit-and-veges-are-being-pulped-by-cheap-shots.html Australia's fruit-and-vegetable processing sector is on its knees. Yet the Federal Government continues to ignore these businesses' plight, the thousands of workers they support, growers who supply them and the Australians who want a vibrant local food industry. In a special report this week The Weekly Times revealed that since... Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:18:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-hit-back-in-push-to-sell-wine.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-hit-back-in-push-to-sell-wine.html Independent grocers have hit back in the war over wine on supermarket shelves with a petition from customers wanting to see it stocked. They have collected more than 22,000 signatures from shoppers who support the move, but some local winemakers are seeing red. Colin Shearing from the Independent Supermarket Retailers Guild said 82... Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:11:46 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-sought.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-sought.html Police have released an image of a man responsible for an armed robbery. An armed offender entered the BP service station on Fellmongers Rd, Breakwater, about 10.35pm, before producing a knife and making demands for cash. He fled on foot and was last seen on Fellmongers Rd. The man is described as in his late 20s, of average... Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:01:49 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/green-light-for-biofuel-plant.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/green-light-for-biofuel-plant.html Waste from grain crops at Coleambally in the states south-west will soon be turned into biofuel. The Murrumbidgee Shire has given the nod to a $6 million plant which'll produce around five megalitres of ethanol a year. Mayor Phillip Wells says the development presents a number of opportunities for local businesses. ... Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:57:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/darrell-lea-appoints-the-distributors-as-national-wholesaler.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/darrell-lea-appoints-the-distributors-as-national-wholesaler.html Iconic Australian Brand, Darrell Lea, has appointed The Distributors as the national wholesaler for the petroleum and convenience market. Established in 1927, Darrell Lea is a 100 per cent Australian owned company, despite being acquired by the Quinn Family in 2011. The full range of famous treats will be made available, including... Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:32:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/local-grocers-can-now-compete-with-leading-retailers-online.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/local-grocers-can-now-compete-with-leading-retailers-online.html Australian grocers now have an easy and affordable way to establish an online presence thanks to SOCexchange.com.au‘s new Click and Collect feature. SOCexchange.com.au has developed a new feature called Click and Collect. It aims to accommodate local grocers who are often too time and resource-poor to establish an online... Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:13:28 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/disappointed-farmers-want-supermarket-giants-to-play-fair.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/disappointed-farmers-want-supermarket-giants-to-play-fair.html After 12 months of heated negotiations over a voluntary code of conduct for the multi-billion-dollar grocery sector, the National Farmers' Federation has lost faith with the plan. The negotiations, which involved Woolworths, Coles and the Australian Food and Grocery Council, were an effort to find a middle ground between the... Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:08:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/car-ram-raids-on-business-premises-across-adelaide.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/car-ram-raids-on-business-premises-across-adelaide.html Police are investigating several attempted break-ins and ram raids on business premises across Adelaide overnight. Investigators believe the incidents form two separate crime series. In relation to one series police have released this CCTV image of a suspect and vehicle - a white Subaru Impreza, registration S102ASE stolen from West... Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:06:07 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sydney-tunnel-spill-causes-major-delays.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sydney-tunnel-spill-causes-major-delays.html Sydney commuters are facing a morning of delays after a fuel spill closed the Sydney Harbour Tunnel during the peak hour rush. The incident has prompted an apology from the NSW government, which says loose metal in the tunnel may have been responsible for a truck losing its tyre around 6.30am (AEDT) on Thursday, causing it to drop its... Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:52:47 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aussie-milk-industry-flogged-by-weather-and-markets.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aussie-milk-industry-flogged-by-weather-and-markets.html Australia's cows are not producing enough milk, with a new report warning floods in Queensland and bushfires in southern states were taking their toll. The Rabobank Dairy Quarterly, released yesterday, found national dairy production was down 5.5 per cent year-on-year in January, but warned volumes would come under more pressure. ... Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:36:20 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/major-research-backs-caffeine-on-crash-risk.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/major-research-backs-caffeine-on-crash-risk.html Australian research into the effects of caffeinated drinks on the performance of long-distance truck drivers has been published in the British Medical Journal. The study found roughly that, while there was no substitute for proper sleep, those consuming caffeine to stay awake and alert reduced the likelihood of crashing by 63 percent... Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:33:37 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nominations-for-supply-chain-and-logistics-awards-close-soon.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nominations-for-supply-chain-and-logistics-awards-close-soon.html Supply chain and logistics businesses within the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry have less than one week left to submit nominations for the Smart Awards, hosted by Smart Conference & Expo. Entries close at 5pm on Sunday 24 March 2013 for the five award categories which include: manufacturing supply chains;... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:47:46 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-dairy-plant-launched-in-tasmania.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-dairy-plant-launched-in-tasmania.html Tasmania’s dairy industry marked a significant milestone last Friday, with the official opening of a new dairy processing facility, built on a former forestry site in Smithton in the State’s North-west. The new $80 million processing factory of Tasmanian Dairy Products (TDP), which received financial assistance from both the... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:42:52 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/strippers--expenses-and-acapma.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/strippers--expenses-and-acapma.html In the wake of the Health Services Union scandal the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (the Act) - which governs Trade Union operations, as well as the operation of Employer Associations like ACAPMA - has been amended to require strict rules for financial governance and reporting. The amendments to the Act require Registered... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:21:52 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-conduct-code-backed.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-conduct-code-backed.html Farmer groups have welcomed reports the Federal Government is considering mandating a code of conduct for supermarkets. The Weekly Times understands that while the Commonwealth has not made a final decision to introduce a mandatory code of conduct for supermarkets dealing with suppliers, it is likely to take a regulatory path if... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:52:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-arrested-following-armed-robbery---seven-hills.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-arrested-following-armed-robbery---seven-hills.html A woman has been arrested during a botched armed robbery in Sydney’s west this morning. About 12.25am, Wednesday 20 March 2013, a woman entered a convenience store on Leabons Lane, Seven Hills, where she allegedly threatened a staff member with a screwdriver and demanded money. It is alleged the woman assaulted the employee and... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:48:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stolen-atm-falls-off-back-of-truck.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stolen-atm-falls-off-back-of-truck.html Tasmanian police are searching for men who stole an ATM in a ram raid, but lost it in the getaway. Police believe four young men are responsible for two failed ram raids in Launceston early yesterday morning. They used a stolen ute to unsuccessfully ram through the front of a 24-hour service station at Invermay. Five minutes... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:41:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/is-big-business-getting-too-aggressive-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/is-big-business-getting-too-aggressive-.html At a black-tie dinner on Wednesday, David Purchase will stand on the podium and try to instil fear into 200 guests including politicians, police, lawyers, government agencies and business leaders in an attempt to advance the debate on the treatment of big business to their smaller counterparts. Purchase, who is executive director of the... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:23:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-bust-spots-oversight.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-bust-spots-oversight.html Wagga City Council has decided to enforce a development application against a petrol station after it breached it for almost 20 years. The BP petrol station on Edward Street has been operating on a 24-hour basis since 1966. But an error 17 years ago saw them only have authorisation to operate between the hours of 7am and 10pm. A... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:09:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/so-what-if-the-well-runs-dry-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/so-what-if-the-well-runs-dry-.html ''Essentially, our society as we know it would cease to function." The words are those of former Royal Australian Air Force deputy chief John Blackburn in a recent NRMA report warning of Australia's extreme vulnerability to overseas fuel supply disruption. A few days into a significant Middle-East or south-eastern Asian... Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:45:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/thief-who-stole--120-worth-of-fuel-fined--500.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/thief-who-stole--120-worth-of-fuel-fined--500.html A woman's decision to steal $120 worth of fuel has ended up costing her far more in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court. Natalie Rose Dudarko pleaded guilty to stealing two full tanks of fuel from United Service Station in October last year. Duty lawyer Justin Geldard said the mother-of-two made a bad decision to steal the fuel while... Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:40:30 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-buxom-bandit--sentenced-to-four-years-in-jail.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-buxom-bandit--sentenced-to-four-years-in-jail.html The Gold Coast's "buxom bandit", who made headlines worldwide for flaunting her cleavage while robbing a petrol station, has been sentenced to four years in jail. Security footage played in court showed Tonee Walker, 22, swinging a flick knife at a male attendant at the service station and then laughing as she took off with... Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:26:28 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/council-fuels-call-to-switch-to-opal.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/council-fuels-call-to-switch-to-opal.html Mount Isa’s Deputy Mayor Brett Peterson is leading a push for the city to use opal fuel in a bid to combat youth substance use. At this week’s Mount Isa City Council meeting, Cr Brett Petersen suggested making forward movement to introduce opal fuel (low aromatic fuel) into the community. “It is used extensively... Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:23:21 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/metcash-calls-for-corner-store-revamp.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/metcash-calls-for-corner-store-revamp.html Grocery wholesaler Metcash will make a renewed push for the $10 billion convenience store sector by helping to reinvent the space around better fresh food offers and new product lines, rather than trying to win a losing battle on prices against the supermarket heavyweights Coles and Woolworths. The grab for a greater slice of the... Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:20:32 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drink-driver-crashes-through-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drink-driver-crashes-through-petrol-station.html Police say a man had a blood alcohol reading more than three times the legal limit when his car crashed into a Canberra service station on Wednesday night. Around 10:00pm the 38-year-old disqualified driver lost control of his vehicle when entering the Belconnen petrol station, striking a bowser before crashing into the shopfront. ... Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:10:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-employees-at-risk-due-to-failure-to-comply-with-new-code.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-employees-at-risk-due-to-failure-to-comply-with-new-code.html Alarming research by St John Ambulance Australia reveals that millions of employees are at risk due to lack of first aid awareness. According to the report, titled First Aid Readiness in the Australian Workplace, only 13 per cent of Australian workplaces know how to keep their employees safe despite Safe Work Australia’s new Code... Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:00:56 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-and-woolworths-to-face-watchdog.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-and-woolworths-to-face-watchdog.html The Gillard government is preparing to turn the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission into a grocery cop by arming it with a mandatory code to police dealings between supermarkets and suppliers. The Australian can reveal that plans to develop a voluntary code of practice for supermarkets have been ditched in the past few weeks... Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:17:13 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pistol-used-in-service-station-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pistol-used-in-service-station-robbery.html There's been an armed hold-up at the BP service station on Artesian Road, Two Wells. Police say that at about 6.25am, a man allegedly armed with a handgun threatened a staff member before stealing cash. 'It is thought he fled in a waiting car heading north,' police said Anyone with information that could assist police... Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:53:41 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-to-build-lng-fuel-network.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-to-build-lng-fuel-network.html Royal Dutch Shell is planning to develop a string of liquefied natural gas (LNG) refuelling stations along the Hume Highway between Melbourne and Sydney as part of an effort to sway truck drivers to switch from diesel to what Shell argues is a cheaper, cleaner-burning fuel option, according to The Australian. The energy giant said it... Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:46:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/address-serious-robbery-and-crime.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/address-serious-robbery-and-crime.html New South Wales Police have highlighted that serious robbery and crimes at service stations within the State are still of concern. ACAPMA, as a member of the NSW Police Robbery and Serious Crime Squad Advisory Council (RSAC), was recently shown data that indicated that 270 incidents occurred during 2012. During 2012, there were also... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:48:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-gets-a-slap-over-the-wrist-in-adelaide-for-selling-food-past-use-by-date.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-gets-a-slap-over-the-wrist-in-adelaide-for-selling-food-past-use-by-date.html Major supermarket chain Woolworths has been fined $7,500 for selling food past its Use-by date in Murray Bridge in South Australia. On Friday last week (8 March), the Woolworths Ltd pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to selling two packets of food past their Use-by dates in May last year. Two packets of an Asian-style lamb... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:34:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/melbourne-truck-driver-allegedly-underpaid--124-000.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/melbourne-truck-driver-allegedly-underpaid--124-000.html The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched a prosecution against a Melbourne grocery importation business, alleging it underpaid a delivery truck driver who speaks limited English more than $124,000 over a five-year period. Facing court is Lay Brothers (Wholesale) Pty Ltd, a Dandenong-based company involved in importing and distributing Asian... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:31:50 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-discounting-partly-blamed-for-collapse-of-another-bundaberg-tomato-company.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-discounting-partly-blamed-for-collapse-of-another-bundaberg-tomato-company.html It's becoming a more common story - big vegetable growers folding under market pressures and slipping into bankruptcy. One of the biggest suppliers of cherry tomatoes to Coles, Basacar Produce, based in Bundaberg in Queensland, was liquidated last week almost a year after it went into administration. Its 141 creditors are owed up... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:28:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-sales-to-pick-up-over-the-next-2yrs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-sales-to-pick-up-over-the-next-2yrs.html Retail sales growth is expected to gain momentum over the next two years, thanks to improvements in the housing sector and better economic conditions. While sales trailed off towards the end of 2012, the retail sector is expected to post a 2.2 per cent increase in sales growth at the end of the current financial year, a Deloitte survey... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:06:39 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stolen-truck-used-in-ram-raid-spree-on-sunshine-coast.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stolen-truck-used-in-ram-raid-spree-on-sunshine-coast.html A stolen truck was used to ram three premises during a robbery spree on the Sunshine Coast last night. A man stole the tray truck with a small crane lift on the back from a business in Noosaville just before midnight. The truck was then driven into the roller doors at a service station on Eumundi-Noosa Road, Doonan where money was... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:01:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-search-for-three-men-in-relation-to-armed-robbery---rooty-hill.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-search-for-three-men-in-relation-to-armed-robbery---rooty-hill.html Police are searching for three men following an armed robbery in Sydney’s west overnight. About 11.45pm on Tuesday 12 March 2013, three men entered a service station on Rooty Hill Road, Rooty Hill, and confronted an employee within the store. The men threatened the employee, assaulted him and forced him to open a cash... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:54:25 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man--18--allegedly-attempted-to-rob-service-station-with-table-tennis-paddle.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man--18--allegedly-attempted-to-rob-service-station-with-table-tennis-paddle.html A would-be thief brandishing a ping pong paddle found a new opponent when he threatened a service station attendant in an apparent hold-up. The female worker returned serve on the man’s demands when she refused to hand over cash at a Coorparoo business about 3am Tuesday. The alleged offender called time-out soon after and fled... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:52:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/one-way-to-stop-plate-thefts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/one-way-to-stop-plate-thefts.html Maroondah police are clamping down on petrol thieves after a recent spate of drive-offs from service stations. In recent months, Ringwood police have recorded a significant number of incidents in which thieves have fitted stolen number plates to their car, filled up the car with petrol and driven away without detection. Police next... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:24:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/battle-to-stop--legal-highs-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/battle-to-stop--legal-highs-.html Local businesses have had to take a stand against the stream of suppliers offering them the opportunity to stock legal synthetic drugs in their shops. The drugs, known as legal highs, have become prominent and a point of contention throughout the country over the last few years. Politicians and police have been fighting an uphill... Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:14:21 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ny-judge-blocks-giant-soft-drink-ban.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ny-judge-blocks-giant-soft-drink-ban.html A New York judge has blocked the city's ban on large sugary drinks, just hours before the restrictions were due to come into effect. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the measures to restrict soft drink servings to a maximum of 16 ounces (470 millilitres) in fast-food and other restaurants would curb obesity. The New York Board of... Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:04:33 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/break-and-enter-spate-has-murwillumbah-on-alert.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/break-and-enter-spate-has-murwillumbah-on-alert.html Shops in Murwillumbah have again been victim to break and enter offences. Both the Matilda Service Station and Liquor Land were broken into overnight Matilda's manager Harry Saad said he was called by security and told the service station had been broken into at 2am. "They didn't take much," he said. ... Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:00:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/testing-to-reveal-how-water-got-in-to-the-fuel-at-stafford-caltex-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/testing-to-reveal-how-water-got-in-to-the-fuel-at-stafford-caltex-service-station.html Caltex has undertaken a series of tests to find out how water got in to the fuel at a Stafford fuel station, where several motorists were affected after filling up. A Caltex spokesman said tests confirmed fuel in the Vortex 95 tank at the Stafford Rd station meets "stringent quality standards" and the issue had instead been... Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:57:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-in-war-of-words-with-accc-over-lower-supermarket-prices.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-in-war-of-words-with-accc-over-lower-supermarket-prices.html Coles has hit out at the ACCC, saying it does not believe families should be made to pay higher supermarket prices. The nation's largest retailer - currently facing two investigations by the competition watchdog - said there is ''no evidence that lower retail prices have had a material impact on food manufacturing... Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:51:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-distributors-voted-no-1-national-convenience-wholesaler.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-distributors-voted-no-1-national-convenience-wholesaler.html According to the Convenience Pulse Supplier Satisfaction Survey 2012, The Distributors have been voted as the No.1 National Convenience Wholesaler in Australia. With an overall satisfaction rating of 71.3 per cent (across extremely and very satisfied scores), The Distributors took the lead over fellow wholesalers C-Store Distribution (at... Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:39:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-probe-may-increase-prices--accc.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-probe-may-increase-prices--accc.html Head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Rod Sims has admitted the watchdog’s probe into Woolworths Ltd and Wesfarmers Ltd-owned Coles may result in higher prices, if it results in prosecutions for misuse of market power, The Australian Financial Review reports. According to the newspaper, Mr Sims said low... Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:17:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles--woolies-and-misguided-outrage.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles--woolies-and-misguided-outrage.html Allow me a little background: an employer's defamation lawyers have only twice insisted I offer an on-air apology. One of those two times was the result a story involving what I regarded as Woolworths' unconscionable treatment of its suppliers. While the apology was made through somewhat gritted teeth, no supercilious sneer was... Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:26:36 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/synthetic-dope-sold-at-servo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/synthetic-dope-sold-at-servo.html Synthetic cannabis is becoming more available in Newcastle, appearing in at least one service station for sale among packets of chewing gum and confectionary. The product was being sold last week at a Lake Macquarie service station, out of an empty lollipop box for $31.95 a packet. The service station owner directed Herald inquiries... Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:21:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/department-of-resources--energy-and-tourism-has-made-aviation-fuel-a-strategic-priority.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/department-of-resources--energy-and-tourism-has-made-aviation-fuel-a-strategic-priority.html Australia has the building blocks of an advanced aviation biofuel industry with the advantage of airlines keen to buy it if it can be made economically. But it will need international investment, including from Big Oil, and continued government involvement to get it through the risky emerging industry stage, according to one of the... Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:15:28 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fears-for-fuel.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fears-for-fuel.html New South Wales’ peak motoring organisation says the state’s south east would be out of fuel within a week if Australia suffered an energy crisis. A report commissioned by the NRMA says fuel supplies in Australia would last about 23 days, making regional areas particularly vulnerable. The Association's Graham Blight... Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:37:31 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-code-needs-a-pinch-of-salt.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-code-needs-a-pinch-of-salt.html If one took at face value some of the spin from the supermarkets right now you could be forgiven for thinking peace had broken out with their suppliers. In brandishing a document titled Food and Grocery Code - Statement of Principles and Guidelines, the supermarkets are saying they have been proactive in brokering a resolution with their... Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:27:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truss-threatens-to-oppose-increase-to-fuel-excise.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truss-threatens-to-oppose-increase-to-fuel-excise.html The federal Coalition has threatened to again vote against an increase to the fuel excise if the industry consultation process is beset by similar problems that plagued it last year. Opposition spokesman on transport Warren Truss says the party will be watching closely when the National Transport Commission (NTC) begins a four-week... Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:11:22 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-sale-is--a-first--for-lucky-buyer.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-sale-is--a-first--for-lucky-buyer.html For the first time, a property located at 116 Sugar Road, Maroochydore, operating as Matilda Blue Service Station, is being offered for sale. There is also a 24/Seven Car Care motor vehicle repair shop adjoining the service station. Brad Moore, of Colliers International, is marketing the property. "Today, freehold... Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:06:57 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-of-petrol-station---bulahdelah.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-of-petrol-station---bulahdelah.html Police are investigating the armed robbery of a petrol station at Bulahdelah this morning. About 1:20am, Thursday 7 March 2013, a beige Daewoo pulled into the petrol station on the Pacific Highway, near Blanch Street. A man exited the vehicle and waited for a customer to leave before entering the petrol station. A woman was... Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:01:49 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-bang-avoided--petrol-station-gas-leak.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-bang-avoided--petrol-station-gas-leak.html Firefighters have responded quickly to a potentially dangerous gas leak at a Wangaratta service station this morning. Police closed off a section of Greta Road soon after 2am when a truck driver reported that he could smell gas. Fire crews used atmospheric monitoring devices and discovered a high amount of LPG in the air. It took... Thu, 07 Mar 2013 08:55:32 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/experts-say-fridge-will--talk-to-shop-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/experts-say-fridge-will--talk-to-shop-.html The future of food panel in Canberra says technology will revolutionise the way we shop, with consumer choice and convenience to reign supreme. They say, by 2030, our fridge will inform our local store when we run low on important items. Australian Food and Grocery Council head Garry Dawson says in a bit more than 1.5 decades,... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:38:49 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/kilojoule-knowledge-to-help-fight-the-battle-with-the-bulge.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/kilojoule-knowledge-to-help-fight-the-battle-with-the-bulge.html Doughnuts, custard tarts, hot chickens and other ready-to-eat supermarket meals will come with a label displaying their kilojoule content, in the hope consumers will think twice before indulging. NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell launched the mandatory labelling on Tuesday morning as part of the government's 8700 kilojoule campaign,... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:36:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-flees-with-cash-after-sword-hold-up-at-preston-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-flees-with-cash-after-sword-hold-up-at-preston-service-station.html Police are reviewing CCTV footage after a man armed with a sword robbed a service station in Melbourne's north early this morning. The man entered the Caltex service station on Plenty Rd, Preston at 1.10am, demanding cash from the male staff member and a female customer who was withdrawing money from the ATM. The man, who was... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:25:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ram-raiders-get-cigarettes-and-chocolate--but-no-cash.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ram-raiders-get-cigarettes-and-chocolate--but-no-cash.html Sweet-toothed ram-raiders who struck three times in 90 minutes are being hunted by police. Detectives believe four offenders used a stolen blue Nissan Patrol in three separate ram-raids in 90 minutes in Melbourne’s southeast this morning. In two of the three ram-raids, the offenders managed to steal only chocolate bars. In the... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:14:20 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inquiries-into-large-fuel-thefts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inquiries-into-large-fuel-thefts.html Police are investigating the theft of a large volume of diesel from Quoiba and Bell Bay early last month. Launceston Crime and Drug Investigation are looking into the matter that took place between February 9 and 10. Transactions were made for fuel at after hours petrol pumps with a stolen fuel card at Bell Bay and Quoiba. Northern... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:11:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-crash.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-crash.html Two vehicles crashed and ended up wedged between petrol bowsers at a Comur Street petrol station on Sunday after a driver's accelerator got stuck. Yass police said a Holden Commodore driven by an 83-year-old had been parked on the left side of the bowsers at Caltex Starmart at about 1.40pm. As the driver has gone to leave, the... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:09:10 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-public-holidays-during-march-and-april.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-public-holidays-during-march-and-april.html ACAPMA would like to remind businesses within the petroleum convenience and petrol distribution industry of the upcoming public holidays throughout March and April for all states and territories.The public holidays stated are as follows: Monday 11 March 2013 VIC – Labour Day SA – Adelaide Cup Day TAS... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:01:01 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/industry-association-launches-job-readiness-program-at-expo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/industry-association-launches-job-readiness-program-at-expo.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) officially launched their Job Readiness Program at the Job and Skills Expo in Hobart last week. As part of the Australian Government's Building Australia's Future Workforce package, the Expo saw thousands of job seekers meet with employers, training and... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:50:25 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/wa-turns-out-for-training.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/wa-turns-out-for-training.html Retailers in Western Australia have again embraced ACAPMAs Petroleum Convenience Compliance (PCC) courses. Delivering best practice learning, compliance and engagement, this latest round of PCC training has been heralded a resounding success. Last week saw ACAPMA members, Fuel Distributors of WA and City and Regional Fuels, come together... Wed, 06 Mar 2013 09:12:59 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/talk-to-your-terminal-manager-before-april.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/talk-to-your-terminal-manager-before-april.html Petroleum distributors and cartage contractors, who are yet to meet new Safe Load Pass (SLP) compliance standards, are being advised to consult with terminal managers to determine what further action can be taken. With the commencement date of 1 April 2013, for new SLP compliance on exhaust shielding and park brake door alarms, some... Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:23:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/flawed--green-cars-guide-under-review.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/flawed--green-cars-guide-under-review.html Electric cars score top marks for their environmental impact, but researchers say the Federal Government's vehicle rating system is flawed. Plans are being made to overhaul the system. One of the few electric cars on Australian roads has a price tag of more than $50,000 and is driven by Adelaide's Lord Mayor Stephen... Tue, 05 Mar 2013 09:02:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/orange-council-to-look-at-voluntary-bag-ban.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/orange-council-to-look-at-voluntary-bag-ban.html The Orange City Council has been recommended to support the voluntary banning of supermarket style plastic bags. The Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Orange first flouted the idea of banning light-weight check-out style bags last year, initially in the retail sector, then across the entire city. A report to Orange Council's... Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:58:18 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/foodland-port-noarlunga-south-in-court-over-more-than-50-breaches-of-national-food-standards.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/foodland-port-noarlunga-south-in-court-over-more-than-50-breaches-of-national-food-standards.html A supermarket in Adelaide's south and its part-owner have been accused of breaching national food standards more than 50 times by altering food labels and selling out-of-date products. Foodland Port Noarlunga South and its general manager, Vince Violi, stand accused of some of the worst contraventions of retail food hygiene standards... Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:55:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-braced-for-fight.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-braced-for-fight.html Top Woolworths executives are on the offensive in Canberra, armed with a dossier of confidential research designed to convince politicians the supermarket giant is not as big and bad as everyone thinks. The internal document obtained by BusinessDay - titled Overview of the Australian retail market - attempts to counter many of the claims... Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:49:23 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ntc-puts-fuel-charging-on-the-table.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ntc-puts-fuel-charging-on-the-table.html Trucking operators could be billed based on fuel use or the number of axles on their combinations under a plan to improve the heavy vehicle charging system. As part of its review of truck charges, the National Transport Commission (NTC) has released a discussion paper outlining a number of possible improvements that could be made to the... Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:12:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sales-of--healthier--milk-rise.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sales-of--healthier--milk-rise.html Sales of company branded milk are on the rise, with consumers prepared to pay more for milk that they believe has a health benefit. The volume of company branded milk sold is now neck-and-neck with the volume of home brand - the same as it was before supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths began selling milk at $1 a litre, News Limited... Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:24:14 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/end-of-the-line-for-the-plastic-water-bottle-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/end-of-the-line-for-the-plastic-water-bottle-.html Bottled water producers are facing increasing pressure as the product falls from favour among the industry's most loyal buyers. Figures provided to Fairfax by Roy Morgan Research show that in the 12 months to September last year 30 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds said they drank bottled water, compared with 36 per cent in 2007. In... Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:17:50 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/thieves-wield-sword--scythe-in-servo-raid.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/thieves-wield-sword--scythe-in-servo-raid.html Robbers used a sword and a scythe to threaten a terrified service station console operator into handing over money in an early-morning raid. Police said two men went into Rusty's service station on the Warrego Hwy at Hatton Vale about 30km west of Ipswich about 12.05am on Saturday. Gatton CIB Detective Sergeant Tim Bourke said... Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:12:41 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shoppers-are-winning-in-coles-and-woolworths-supermarket-war--but-it-won-t-last.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shoppers-are-winning-in-coles-and-woolworths-supermarket-war--but-it-won-t-last.html The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable. The great war of the supermarket aisles unleashed by the tough Scottish import Ian Mcleod at a reborn Coles has put millions of dollars a week into the pockets of shoppers and drivers. As Coles and Woolworths have gone head to head, drivers have been getting consistently cheaper petrol - and... Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:07:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-discount-will-go-on--coles.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-discount-will-go-on--coles.html Supermarket giant Coles has brushed aside criticism of its controversial 8c-a-litre petrol discount vouchers and signalled it may extend the deal. And the grocer's owner, retail goliath Wesfarmers, has taken aim at food suppliers for failing to cut costs by investing in their businesses. In a move likely to inflame tensions with... Mon, 04 Mar 2013 08:55:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/discount-supermarket-aldi-to-offer-cut-price-mobile-deals.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/discount-supermarket-aldi-to-offer-cut-price-mobile-deals.html Discount supermarket ALDI is set to shake up Australia's mobile phone market by offering low-cost deals. The supermarket will start selling pre-paid phone plans along with groceries in a move tipped to put pressure on big telcos Telstra and Optus. The German grocery chain has offered cut-price calls, text and data in Europe for... Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:17:56 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gin-gin-police-looking-for-driver-of-car-with-fake-plates.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gin-gin-police-looking-for-driver-of-car-with-fake-plates.html Gin Gin police are looking for the driver of a 2005 Toyota Land Cruiser with false number plates of Queensland registration 749SAE who failed to pay for 66L of unleaded fuel. The driver drove off from the BP service station on Mulgrave St about 9am on Tuesday. The vehicle was seen heading south along the Bruce Hwy. Anyone with... Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:12:28 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-fights-hard-for-gain.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-fights-hard-for-gain.html Woolworths boss Grant O'Brien has reined in his rhetoric against the competition regulator while warning that the supermarket giant's slight upgrade in earnings forecasts yesterday did not mean things were getting any easier in retail. Speaking after the release of a first-half profit of $1.25 billion, up 4 per cent from last... Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:08:21 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accelerating-the-commercialisation-of-biofuel-technologies.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accelerating-the-commercialisation-of-biofuel-technologies.html The production of sustainable, clean fuels is a step closer to a commercial reality following an Australian Government investment of $9.8 million in two projects through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) Advanced Biofuels Investment Readiness Program. The Minister for Resources and Energy, the Hon. Martin Ferguson AM... Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:44:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-secures-entry-into-australian-mining-market.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-secures-entry-into-australian-mining-market.html Puma Energy, Australia's largest independent fuel operator, will secure a strong foothold into Australia's mining industry with the announcement that it will acquire Queensland's Central Combined Group ("CCG"). CCG, which trades as Fuel Central and Lube Central, is central Queensland's largest independent fuel... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:36:31 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robber-in-underpants-mask-holds-up-servo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robber-in-underpants-mask-holds-up-servo.html A man wearing underpants on his head and brandishing a knife has robbed a service station in Melbourne's west. Police said the man entered the business on the corner of Ballarat Road and Robinsons Road about 12.30am on February 15. He approached the counter, produced a knife and demanded cash. The staff member handed over... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:18:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/metcash-s-new-chief-enters-supermarket-battle.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/metcash-s-new-chief-enters-supermarket-battle.html Incoming Metcash boss Ian Morrice will review all aspects of the grocery and liquor wholesaler, including its private label strategy and marketing budget, as the 30-year retail veteran takes on one of the toughest roles in corporate Australia - battling Woolworths and Coles. Replacing current chief executive Andrew Reitzer who will leave... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:15:36 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/knife-used-in-bp-hold-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/knife-used-in-bp-hold-up.html Police are looking for a man who held up the BP service station in Parry Street, Newcastle A police spokesman said the man was armed with a knife when he entered the store about 9.15pm. He threatened a staff member and demanded cash before fleeing on foot. He was wearing a balaclava at the time of the robbery. Police have... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:13:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/discount-fuel-promotion-causes-traffic-chaos.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/discount-fuel-promotion-causes-traffic-chaos.html A discount fuel promotion has thrown traffic into chaos at North Adelaide this evening. Triple Eight Racing offered heavily discounted unleaded fuel at just 88.8 cents a litre at the O’Connell St Caltex for just 30 minutes, but it attracted a huge response. Cars lined up early to get a slice of the deal, but it caused headaches... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:11:22 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/doomsday-warning-on-fuel-stock.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/doomsday-warning-on-fuel-stock.html Australia would grind to a halt within three weeks with almost no deliveries of food or medicine if its overseas oil and fuel supplies were cut off. An NRMA-commissioned report on the nation's liquid fuel security released today says the government has allowed the country to become too dependent on foreign supply of liquid fuels. ... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:09:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/court-overturns--1-5b-award-against-exxon.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/court-overturns--1-5b-award-against-exxon.html The US state of Maryland's highest court has overturned jury verdicts that ordered Exxon Mobil Corp to pay more than $US1.5 billion ($A1.47 billion) in damages for a 2006 petrol station leak that polluted a community's drinking water. The Court of Appeals of Maryland on Tuesday issued two rulings, ordering new trials in cases... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:04:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-taxes-hampering-fuel-efficiency--economist.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-taxes-hampering-fuel-efficiency--economist.html It is a hard sell, but economists from the Australian National University say Australians would be better off with a higher tax on petrol. They have compared petrol prices around the world and say if consumers had to pay more at the pump here we would use less fuel and buy more efficient cars. One economist says if the petrol excise... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:03:22 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-price-board-discussions.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-price-board-discussions.html The idea of a national regulation for the use of, and information on, fuel price boards has been proposed by the Hon. David Bradbury, Assistant Treasurer and Minister Assisting for Deregulation with support from Council of Australian Governments (COAG) representing Ministers’ of Fair Trading from each State. Recently, ACAPMA met... Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:55:56 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/low-petrol-taxes-hampering-fuel-efficiency--economist.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/low-petrol-taxes-hampering-fuel-efficiency--economist.html It is a hard sell, but economists from the Australian National University say Australians would be better off with a higher tax on petrol. They have compared petrol prices around the world and say if consumers had to pay more at the pump here we would use less fuel and buy more efficient cars. One economist says if the petrol excise... Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:31:40 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australia-not-alone-with-supermarket-milk-discounting.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australia-not-alone-with-supermarket-milk-discounting.html A report from international rural financier Rabobank shows fresh milk discounting is rampant in the world's major dairy markets. The report is yet to be released, but Rabobank senior analyst Michael Harvey says milk price wars are a major part of supermarket trade in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe. He says... Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:15:32 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tesco-goes-virtual-in-thailand--china.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tesco-goes-virtual-in-thailand--china.html British retail giant Tesco will launch online grocery stores in Thailand and China in coming months. Tesco entered China in 2004 and currently has 120 physical stores. Initially the online stores will serve major cities such as Bangkok and Shanghai. The move is part of the grocer's strategy to boost its multichannel retailing, it... Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:11:22 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/oxenford-service-station-held-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/oxenford-service-station-held-up.html Police are investigating the armed robbery of a service station at Oxenford last night. A man produced a knife and made demands for money at the Old Pacific Highway premises around 11.50pm, police say. An undisclosed amount of money was handed over from the till. The man fled the scene and was last seen running towards the... Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:04:56 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inquiry-into-fuel-docket-schemes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inquiry-into-fuel-docket-schemes.html Tasmanian motorists may get relief from high fuel prices if an upcoming national inquiry into shopper docket fuel discounts delivers stronger competition. The RACT says this month's 10-a-litre hike in petrol prices was due to increased costs but a lack of retail competition contributed to few fuel price decreases, even when the crude... Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:59:57 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nestle-ceo-warns-water-scarcity-is-biggest-threat-to-food-industry.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nestle-ceo-warns-water-scarcity-is-biggest-threat-to-food-industry.html Nestle CEO Paul Bulcke has used his keynote speech at the ‘City Food Lecture’ in the United Kingdom to highlight the threat of water scarcity to the food industry. Citing figures from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Bulcke predicted that population growth and an increase in meat consumption would ... Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:55:41 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/canberra-meetings-taking-shape.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/canberra-meetings-taking-shape.html ACAPMA @ The House, the annual Board of Management meetings in Canberra, has started scheduling high level meetings with Members of Parliament. Taking place in the sitting week from 18 to 22 March 2013, ACAPMA will be advocating the industry’s agenda at an important time in this election year. “The timing of this... Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:50:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/a-good-start-with-matilda-fuels.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/a-good-start-with-matilda-fuels.html Matilda Fuels operators gain the skills and tools required to identify and manage risk in their businesses with ACAPMAcademy training. Over three days, Matilda Fuels brought 40 new and existing site operators from across New South Wales and Queensland together to deliver some clear messages around safety and compliance. Garth... Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:17:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-young-people-ready-and-willing-to-work.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-young-people-ready-and-willing-to-work.html In September 2012, 27 per cent of workers aged 15 to 24 wanted more hours, many after a full-time job. The Australian Bureau of Statistics released information revealing the amount of workers hopeful of gaining more employment. Taking in all part-time workers in Australia, the statistics revealed 24 per cent wanted more work, which... Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:41:25 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths--fresh-food--billboard-featuring-a-doughnut-for-ipswich-sparks-social-media-backlash.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths--fresh-food--billboard-featuring-a-doughnut-for-ipswich-sparks-social-media-backlash.html A supermarket chain's billboard promoting "fresh food" with a photo of a doughnut has sparked a social media backlash. The Woolworths ad, which is on the Warrego Highway near Ipswich, reads, "Proudly supplying Ipswich with fresh food for over 43 years", along with a photo of a doughnut with a large bite out of... Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:38:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/we-want-to-sell-booze--retailers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/we-want-to-sell-booze--retailers.html Smaller Queensland retailers will ramp up their campaign to overturn laws preventing them selling liquor after the issue was not included in a Newman Government liquor licensing discussion paper. Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie this month released a 107-page paper on licensing law changes being considered by the Government. But it... Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:33:49 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/market-shifts-hit-pie-maker-s-bottom-line.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/market-shifts-hit-pie-maker-s-bottom-line.html A booming business selling hot pies and other ready-to-go meals to petrol station and convenience stores was not enough to counter a shift by supermarket shoppers to lower-priced packaged desserts, reducing margins for Patties Foods during the half and cutting interim profit by 16.5 per cent. The downturn in the supermarket channel,... Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:05:31 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-isn-t-what-it-used-to-be-at-most-petrol-stations.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-isn-t-what-it-used-to-be-at-most-petrol-stations.html Way back, in the late 1960s, I spent my Friday nights working in a service station in my home town to supplement my income. I still recall, some 50 years on, how every Friday night a little old man drove his E93A Ford Prefect onto the forecourt for its weekly fill. The car was in mint condition. Sparkling black paintwork with not a... Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:01:37 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-attribute-refinery-closure-to-strong-performance.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-attribute-refinery-closure-to-strong-performance.html Caltex Australia announced today (25 February 2013), for the year ended 31 December 2012, an after tax profit of $57 million – a noticeable increase to the 2011 after tax loss of $714 million. Caltex have stated that this recorded profit includes significant items of approximately $309 million (after tax), which primarily relate to... Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:59:23 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/liberals-promise-bigger-small-retailers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/liberals-promise-bigger-small-retailers.html Small retailers will be able to employ more staff and have more shops open if the Barnett Government is re-elected in just under two weeks time. Commerce Minister Simon O’Brien today announced a Liberal Government would increase the number of shops a small retailer can own from three to four and the number of staff they can hire... Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:28:14 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/banks-accused-of--gouging--while-they--bleat-about-the-cost-of-funds-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/banks-accused-of--gouging--while-they--bleat-about-the-cost-of-funds-.html A newly registered political party has accused banks of "gouging" consumers while they "bleat about the cost of funds". The Bank Reform Party, newly registered in Australia, has announced it will contest the Federal Election on a platform of reform in the banking, supermarket and fuel sectors. Founder and leader... Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:24:09 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aviation-biofuels-on-the-up-and-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aviation-biofuels-on-the-up-and-up.html Lufthansa probably thought it was on a public relations winner when it began operating flights using a mix of biofuel and regular jet fuel between Frankfurt and Hamburg in 2011. However, the ''green skies'' branding potential of lower-carbon-emission air travel took a dive when environment groups revealed the supplier was... Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:09:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aldi-wins-2012-supermarket-of-the-year.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aldi-wins-2012-supermarket-of-the-year.html Roy Morgan Research has announced Aldi Australia as the winner of its second annual Customer Satisfaction Award for Supermarket of the Year. At a gala dinner in Melbourne on 21 February 2013, Aldi was recognised as the overall winner of the award, making this the second year in a row for the German Supermarket chain. Throughout 2012,... Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:45:14 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/us-groups-object-to-plain-tobacco-packs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/us-groups-object-to-plain-tobacco-packs.html High-powered US business organisations have issued a joint statement expressing "deep concern" with the government's decision to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products. They say it will violate New Zealand's international trade obligations and facilitate illicit trade and counterfeiting. "Of course we... Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:45:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gun-used-in-store-hold-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gun-used-in-store-hold-up.html A pair of masked bandits used a firearm to threaten a Collingwood Park store attendant during an armed robbery Thursday night. Police say two men entered a convenience store on Collingwood Drive about 6.40pm - one of them holding the gun as they took off with the cash register. The 62-year-old attendant was not physically injured... Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:36:12 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-queries-need-for-monopoly-probe.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-queries-need-for-monopoly-probe.html Woolworths chief executive Grant O'Brien has questioned why Australia's consumer watchdog is holding an inquiry into supermarket monopoly power, pointing out that competition in the sector had increased since the previous inquiry five years ago. In a strong defence of not just Woolworths but Australia's retail sector, Mr... Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:30:12 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-spree-lands-bandit-in-prison.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-spree-lands-bandit-in-prison.html A knife-wielding bandit has been sentenced to five years prison at an Ipswich court for two ferocious armed robberies. Goodna man Jonathan Faafoi, 23, held a knife at one shopkeeper's throat and threatened to kill him during a robbery at Kingston last September. The careless crook left behind the 20cm serrated knife before he... Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:12:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-fuel-discounts-face-axe.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-fuel-discounts-face-axe.html The competition regulator has warned the major supermarket chains it plans to tear up their 8c-a-litre shopper docket petrol discounts. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims says if Woolworths and Coles want to help shoppers with lower prices, they should stick to groceries instead of subsidising fuel. ... Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:07:10 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailers-nabbed-selling-cigarettes-to-children.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailers-nabbed-selling-cigarettes-to-children.html Nine local businesses have been caught selling tobacco products to juveniles, as part of a new government program policing the sale of cigarettes. Two juveniles were sent into 24 Canberra stores to purchase cigarettes between November and January, and nine stores sold the underage buyers tobacco products. Attorney-General Simon... Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:17:14 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/high-dollar-and-supermarket-discounts-force-write-down-of-spc-ardmona.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/high-dollar-and-supermarket-discounts-force-write-down-of-spc-ardmona.html Food processor SPC Ardmona is being blamed for dragging down the profits of parent company Coca-Cola Amatil. During a full year report to stock markets, it was announced SPCA will write down the value of its business by $146 million. Coca Cola Amatil managing director for Australasia, Warwick White, says cheap imports and supermarket... Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:11:30 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets--fuel-in-watchdog-s-sights.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets--fuel-in-watchdog-s-sights.html Up to in-depth investigations into cartel conduct and anti-competitive behaviour are under way at the competition regulator. The names of the companies have not been revealed, but the chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims, is set to outline on Thursday that the ACCC is focusing on ''competition... Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:06:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-of-petrol-station---pendle-hill.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-of-petrol-station---pendle-hill.html Police are looking for two males armed with a handgun following the robbery of a petrol station at Pendle Hill last night. About 11:45pm, Wednesday 20 February 2013, two males entered the petrol station on Wentworth Avenue. One of the males, who was armed with a handgun, approached the console operator and threatened him with the... Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:03:39 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-stabbed-in-petrol-station-robbery---north-ryde.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-stabbed-in-petrol-station-robbery---north-ryde.html A man has been stabbed during the armed robbery of a petrol station at North Ryde last night. About 9:10pm, Wednesday 20 February 2013, a customer was being served inside the petrol station on Kent Road when two males entered the store. The males, armed with a knife and a hammer, forced the customer behind the counter and demanded he... Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:01:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-petrol-station-raids-in-five-minutes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-petrol-station-raids-in-five-minutes.html Two raids on petrol station in Adelaide's north west overnight may be linked, police say. In the first incident, a man entered the United service station on Torrens Rd, Pennington, and threatened staff about 10.20pm. The man, described as being of Aboriginal appearance and wearing a black hooded top with white writing, fled north... Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:59:51 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-schweppervescence--revival-in-new-schweppes-campaign.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-schweppervescence--revival-in-new-schweppes-campaign.html Schweppes Australia has launched a new ad campaign to promote the process which gives its soft drinks their “Schweppervescence.” The 60 second video advertisement features two people tumbling through mountains and forests to a dramatic soundtrack that ends with them landing in water and emerging to the surface with the... Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:57:37 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coca-cola-amatil-hasn-t-lost-its-fizz.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coca-cola-amatil-hasn-t-lost-its-fizz.html The fizzy drink purveyor's ability to notch up 3 per cent underlying earnings growth in 2012 is akin to the bumblebee that wasn't meant to fly, with all the talismans pointing to the company sharing the same misfortune as other supermarket suppliers. As well as the supermarket chains perpetuating their take-no-prisoners private... Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:54:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inquiry-seeking-cause-of-gas-blast.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inquiry-seeking-cause-of-gas-blast.html The cause of a potentially fatal gas explosion at Morty's BP Service Station in Launceston is under investigation by Workplace Standards Tasmania. The explosion, which occurred during daylight trading hours on November 27 last year, blew the gas pit's metal seal several metres into the air. It is believed that a damaged or... Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:47:08 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cash-register-foils-sa-would-be-robber.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cash-register-foils-sa-would-be-robber.html A would-be robber was left empty handed when he couldn't open a till at an Adelaide service station after the staff member ran off. The masked and gloved man jumped the counter of the West Beach service station and told the employee to open the till late on Tuesday night, police say. But after the worker fled and the man... Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:43:49 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-launches-m-commerce-trial.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-launches-m-commerce-trial.html Supermarket giant, Coles, is trialling a new mobile payment system that could see the end of traditional eftpos and loyalty card programs used at the checkout. The trial, the MasterCard Mobile Wallet, will be tested by 60 people across Australia. Customers will turn on the app at the checkout and connect the phone to the eftpos terminal... Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:52:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-diet-guidelines-spark-sugar-debate.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-diet-guidelines-spark-sugar-debate.html Major grocers and food producers are fiercely opposing Australia's newly-released dietary guidelines, which have included for the first time the advice to limit added sugar. Public health advocates say it is a critical wording aimed at reducing the nation's obesity epidemic, but critics say there is not enough scientific evidence... Tue, 19 Feb 2013 08:03:33 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bandit-wanted-smokes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bandit-wanted-smokes.html As it neared midnight in North Ipswich, Christopher Pomorin walked into a service station he regularly used carrying two knives he had taped together lengthwise at the handles. The 36-year-old strode to the counter and revealed the large weapon, the length of his forearm, from behind his back. His demand was simple: "Give me the... Tue, 19 Feb 2013 07:52:36 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/car-cloners-on-prowl--so-watch-out.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/car-cloners-on-prowl--so-watch-out.html A rise in petrol prices will trigger a spike in the theft of numberplates in Monash, says Mount Waverley Sergeant Burnie Postma. Sergeant Postma says about 20 numberplates are stolen every month in the city so the thieves can avoid paying for petrol, registration and tolls. The stolen plates have also been used during burglaries and... Tue, 19 Feb 2013 07:45:47 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/queensland-passes-nhvr-amendments.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/queensland-passes-nhvr-amendments.html The shift to a national set of regulations is one step closer after Queensland passed a package of amendments to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). Parliament last night passed the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Bill, which follows the passage of the Heavy Vehicle National Law late last year. The Bill contains a... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:12:02 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-allegedly-used-syringe-to-rob-service-stations-in-brisbane-s-north.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-allegedly-used-syringe-to-rob-service-stations-in-brisbane-s-north.html A syringe has been used to threaten service station staff in a series of armed robberies in Brisbane’s north overnight. A 28-year-old man has been charged after he allegedly used a syringe as a weapon in three attempted armed robberies. Police believe the man entered service stations on Dawson Parade at Arana Hills, Gympie Road... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:02:33 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australians-concerned-with-the-future-of-energy.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australians-concerned-with-the-future-of-energy.html According to the Future Energy Survey 2013, Future Energy needs (71 per cent) is one of the top three issues concerning Australians; with only the public health system (79 per cent) and living costs (78 per cent) rating higher. The survey,  commissioned by Shell Australia, revealed that Australians most favoured a mix of energy... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:37:08 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alp-woos-small-business.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alp-woos-small-business.html Labor is making a pitch to the nation's 2.7 million small businesses with a vow to protect the most vulnerable employers while challenging the Coalition to reveal its plans for the sector. Small Business Minister Chris Bowen welcomed the competition regulator's "activist" approach to supervising supermarket giants and... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:04:02 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coca-cola-amatil-s-davis-wants-supermarkets-debate.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coca-cola-amatil-s-davis-wants-supermarkets-debate.html Coca-Cola Amatil chief executive Terry Davis has called for a national debate over aggressive supermarket practices, including selling popular products below cost as “loss leaders”, but cautioned against a mandatory code of conduct for the food industry. Mr Davis, who has pledged to help the Australian Competition and... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:02:18 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-acute--retail-pressure-hurts-food-producers--salatin.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-acute--retail-pressure-hurts-food-producers--salatin.html Joel Salatin, the American celebrity farmer and proponent of the organics food movement, says Australia's food producers are facing pressure from retailers at levels not seen anywhere in the world. “I'm familiar with the food production systems and farmers in Mexico, Italy, New Zealand, Great Britain, and of course,... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 08:55:12 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-discount-fuel-docket-illusion.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-discount-fuel-docket-illusion.html Clever marketing seduces us into believing we are getting something for nothing when what we are really doing is purchasing an illusory discount at an undisclosed price. So the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is having a serious look at discount fuel dockets! In 2000, I was on a Parliamentary enquiry investigating why... Mon, 18 Feb 2013 08:49:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/legislation-urged-to-stop-multinationals-using-tobacco-style-tactics-to-push-junk-food.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/legislation-urged-to-stop-multinationals-using-tobacco-style-tactics-to-push-junk-food.html Multinational companies use the same tactics as the tobacco industry to undermine public health, prompting calls for anti-tobacco-style regulation to be introduced for junk food. An international study led by University of Melbourne Professor Rob Moodie - a former VicHealth chief - has found global food and drink brands are the major... Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:05:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tough-retail-conditions-contribute-to-profits-drop-at-goodman-fielder.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tough-retail-conditions-contribute-to-profits-drop-at-goodman-fielder.html Goodman Fielder suffered a four percent drop in profits in its half yearly results, and challenging retail conditions are partly to blame, says Australasia's largest food manufacturer. Normalised net profit after tax for the half year is at $41.2m, down four percent, and CEO Chris Delaney said "Retail trading conditions in... Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:45:28 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-giants-could-be-cut-down-to-size.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-giants-could-be-cut-down-to-size.html Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims' disclosure that the competition regulator has escalated an investigation into the two big supermarket chains over possible anti-competitive behaviour towards suppliers is a watershed moment. The competition regulator can demand that information be supplied to it in the... Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:23:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/predatory-behaviour--investigation-at-coles.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/predatory-behaviour--investigation-at-coles.html The owner of Coles is conducting an internal investigation that will examine whether the nation's second-biggest supermarket chain is engaging in improper predatory and anti-competitive behaviour in its dealings with suppliers. Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder confirmed the internal investigation during a press conference... Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:36:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/branded-milk-makes-ground-on-supermarket-labels.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/branded-milk-makes-ground-on-supermarket-labels.html The dairy industry is forecasting a positive outlook for milk prices despite the farmgate price being down eight per cent on this time last year. Dairy Australia's latest outlook report also shows sales of branded milk have risen 15 per cent against supermarket labels. Dairy Australia's Norman Repacholi says at this stage... Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:13:30 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-face-ruin-amid-supermarket-milk-war.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-face-ruin-amid-supermarket-milk-war.html Dairy farmers say they are struggling to survive as major supermarkets wage a milk war offering prices as low as $1 a litre. With the industry gripped by crisis, 500 dairy farmers and local business people flocked to a meeting in Tongala, in northern Victoria, on Wednesday to try and work out a way to challenge the huge chains. They... Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:11:27 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/plan-to-mine-shale-oil-divides-qld.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/plan-to-mine-shale-oil-divides-qld.html Queensland's economy could receive a boost from the scrapping of another mining ban, but conservationists say it will come at a cost. The Newman government announced on Wednesday it will overturn Labor's 20-year moratorium on the mining of oil shale, imposed in 2008. Queensland has about 90 per cent of the nation's oil... Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:46:18 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-for-5am-gun-bandit-who-targeted-leda-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-for-5am-gun-bandit-who-targeted-leda-service-station.html Police are searching for a gun-toting man who threatened staff at a petrol station in Perth's southern suburbs this morning. The gunman threatened staff at the Leda service station on the corner of Feilman Drive and Gilmore Avenue just before 5am. Nobody was injured in the incident and it is not yet known if the man got away with... Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:38:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-who-set-fire-to-mt-morgan-petrol-station-given-probation.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-who-set-fire-to-mt-morgan-petrol-station-given-probation.html Central Queensland man Stuart McCoombe has been given two years probation after allegedy attempting to set fire a Mt Morgan petrol station on fire last year. McCoombe pleaded guilty in the Rockhampton District Court to one count of attempted arson and sentenced to 256 days in jail, which he has already served. The court has heard... Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:36:31 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-turns-up-heat-on-supermarkets-over-treatment-of-suppliers--fuel-shopper-dockets.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-turns-up-heat-on-supermarkets-over-treatment-of-suppliers--fuel-shopper-dockets.html The consumer watchdog has stepped up its campaign against the major supermarkets by signalling concerns over their behaviour with suppliers and the impact of shopper dockets on the petrol market. In testimony to a Senate committee last night, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chief Rod Sims for the first time backed the... Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:30:27 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tag-time-for-parental-leave.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tag-time-for-parental-leave.html Expecting mums and dads will be allowed to take up to two months unpaid parental leave together under a major redrafting of industrial laws to help working parents. And they will be given greater flexibility in nominating when they want to take it, with the dumping of rules that restrict fathers to only taking parental leave when a baby... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:25:28 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/labor-wants-to-make-work-more-flexible.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/labor-wants-to-make-work-more-flexible.html The Gillard government intends to give more Australian workers the right to request flexible working arrangements. But bosses will have no legal obligation to accept such requests under the proposed changes to the Fair Work Act. Labor's changes would allow all workers with caring responsibilities to ask for flexible work... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:21:29 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/parent-flexibility-not-assured--greens.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/parent-flexibility-not-assured--greens.html The prime minister wants to change workplace laws to ensure new parents returning to work have more flexibility, while also providing roster workers with more certainty. But the Greens have described workplace proposals as window dressing, while the coalition claims the government is doing favours for trade unions in the runup the... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:09:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/workplace-flexibility--where--almost--everyone-gets-to-grandstand.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/workplace-flexibility--where--almost--everyone-gets-to-grandstand.html There’s something for everyone in the Prime Minister’s rather vague announcement about extending the right to request flexible working arrangements to parents returning from parental leave — everyone, that is, except the opposition. A little background: the Fair Work Act established a right for... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:05:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/abbott-s-silence-on-ir-a-problem.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/abbott-s-silence-on-ir-a-problem.html If ever there was a case for Tony Abbott to get his industrial relations policy out sooner rather than later, Dave Oliver has made it. ACTU secretary Oliver went to Canberra on Wednesday to fire a barrage of shots against the Opposition Leader and, by the way, to lodge an ambit claim with the Gillard government. The unions want the... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:00:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mountain-dew-for-breakfast-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mountain-dew-for-breakfast-.html PepsiCo has entered the breakfast drink market with a product called Kickstart. The carbonated drink is part juice with Mountain Dew flavour. If you don't like coffee or tea, Mountain Dew has a new breakfast drink that might perk you up. PepsiCo Inc. is rolling out a new drink called Kickstart this month that has Mountain Dew... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 09:19:15 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fine-dining-meets-fast-food-at-one-aussie-mcdonald-s.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fine-dining-meets-fast-food-at-one-aussie-mcdonald-s.html Sydney (Reuters) - Would you like a knife and fork with that? In a world first, a McDonald's franchise in Australia is offering full table service for its dine-in customers, complete with china plates, glassware and metal utensils in place of the more usual paper boxes and plastic. Meals are also brought to the table by waiters... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 09:12:07 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-chain-aldi-to-open-up-to-50-stores-across-south-australia.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-chain-aldi-to-open-up-to-50-stores-across-south-australia.html Discount supermarket chain Aldi will open up to 50 stores across South Australia, promising shoppers a new era of product choice and big grocery discounts. The German giant yesterday announced it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars and create 900 permanent jobs in SA. Planning Department officials will today meet Aldi... Wed, 13 Feb 2013 09:03:07 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/national-fuel-price-board-regulation-webinar-now-on-youtube.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/national-fuel-price-board-regulation-webinar-now-on-youtube.html The National Fuel Price Board Regulation webinar, hosted live by ACAPMA on 31 January 2013, is now available to the petroleum and convenience industry via YouTube. The video, approximately 54 minutes in length, includes an introduction by ACAPMA’s CEO, Nic Moulis, on the recently proposed National Fuel Price Board Regulations, as... Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:34:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailer-fined-for-breaching-workplace-laws.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailer-fined-for-breaching-workplace-laws.html A Melbourne retail company which breached discrimination laws by reducing a worker’s hours after she fell pregnant has agreed to apologise and pay compensation. Shawna, which trades as homewares retail outlet Good Housekeeping Australia, Cranbourne, has also agreed to revamp its workplace policies. The company has agreed to the... Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:36:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/how-to-put-a-price-on-your-business.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/how-to-put-a-price-on-your-business.html Like any good Jedi, business owners are being told to "unlearn" the pricing mistakes of the past. Relying on cost to calculate price is the first mistake, Pricing Insights managing director Ron Wood says, a mistake that could well sell you and your business short. "If you decide on making 50 (percentage) points on your... Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:25:33 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-burnt-at-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-burnt-at-petrol-station.html Police have a person in custody following an incident which has left a woman with burns to her body. The incident was reported to police about 7am. Police were unable to provide full details about what happened other than saying there was a fire at a fuel station in Hamilton Hill after a woman spilt fuel on the ground. Channel... Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:19:30 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-fuel-for-pilbara-biodiesel-company.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-fuel-for-pilbara-biodiesel-company.html Mine camp catering company, ESS, will now send all the used cooking oil from its Western Australian kitchens to be turned into biodiesel. AshOil, a subsidiary of the Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation, makes biofuel from the used oil and will now receive over 200,000 litres a year from the caterer. The biofuel company, based in the... Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:16:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-listeria-cases-feared.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-listeria-cases-feared.html Public health officials are bracing for the nation's largest listeria outbreak to worsen after linking three deaths to a Victorian cheese company. The 70-day incubation period for the potentially fatal illness has provoked concerns from the Victorian Health Department that the crisis could deteriorate before it gets better. A... Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:08:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-suspected-of-five-armed-robberies-at-service-stations-in-melbourne-s-northwest.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-suspected-of-five-armed-robberies-at-service-stations-in-melbourne-s-northwest.html Police believe the same man may be behind five armed robberies in Melbourne's northwest in the past fortnight. In each robbery a man armed with a knife has held up service stations in Sunbury, Woodend and Sydenham, escaping with a small amount of cash each time. All robberies occurred late at night or early in the morning. ... Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:58:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-is-fuel-injected.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-is-fuel-injected.html The newest player in the Australian fuel market has gone from "nothing'' to a billion-dollar national footprint in a matter of weeks. Puma Energy purchased Gold Coast-based Neumann last month in a deal believed  to be worth more than $250 million. Puma Energy's Australian general manager Ray Taylor said the... Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:55:48 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stolen-fuel-worth--340-000.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stolen-fuel-worth--340-000.html A service station operator has pleaded guilty to his role in a stolen fuel scam. Anis Fawzi Faris, who ran the Volume Plus Service Station in Blacktown, said nothing as he left Blacktown Local Court yesterday after pleading guilty to 32 counts of receiving stolen fuel over a five-month period in 2011. Faris received more than $340,000... Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:23:15 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/jail-for-diesel-rebate-fraud.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/jail-for-diesel-rebate-fraud.html A woman who defrauded almost $200,000 in diesel fuel rebates has been jailed. Lynette Anne Murray, 48, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court, Burnie, to 33 counts of obtaining property by deception. Justice Peter Evans said Murray made 33 fraudulent applications under the federal government rebate scheme between March 2005 and July... Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:58:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/revived-no-frills-joins-iga-line-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/revived-no-frills-joins-iga-line-up.html Grocery wholesaler Metcash is reviving the country's first private label grocery brand, No Frills, rolling it out to 365 independent supermarkets trading under the Supa IGA banner. The brand, which dates back to 1978, was acquired in 2011 as part of Metcash's $215 million purchase of NSW supermarket chain Franklins and will be... Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:54:42 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/three-plead-guilty-to-fuel-card-theft.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/three-plead-guilty-to-fuel-card-theft.html Three men have pleaded guilty to conspiring to dishonestly use a fuel card, which was then used for $41,733.14 of fuel purchases. In the Supreme Court in Burnie, Nigel Geoffrey Apted, Daniel Reginald Clarke and Scott Thomas Clarke appeared before Justice Peter Evans. The court heard two of the accused were in a car that was... Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:19:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/assessing-fitness-to-drive-is-crucial-for-road-safety.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/assessing-fitness-to-drive-is-crucial-for-road-safety.html In 2011, there were a staggering 1,367 road deaths and tens of thousands Australians seriously injured. The Department of Infrastructure and Transport recorded that during the 12 months to the end of June 2012, there were 112 crashes involving articulated trucks and 73 crashes involving heavy rigid trucks. Fatal crashes involving articulated... Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:11:57 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/christmas-fails-to-deliver-relief-for-retail.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/christmas-fails-to-deliver-relief-for-retail.html Retailers are experiencing their worst run since the GST was introduced 12 years ago, with poor Christmas sales making the third consecutive month of falling turnover. The food retailers, restaurants and shopping strips suffered the worst falls, but the Australian Bureau of Statistics' December retail survey shows the largest chains are... Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:28:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/different-paths-in-effort-to-fuel-sense-of-loyalty.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/different-paths-in-effort-to-fuel-sense-of-loyalty.html Coles is making a pitch to the suburban auto-commuters, with an 8c-per-litre discount available to anyone who spends at least $30 in its supermarkets -- which is pretty well everyone. Woolies, on the other hand, is being more selective. Rather than a scatter-gun campaign that does nothing to retain customers once the offer period is... Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:15:51 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-leak-at-esperance-fuel-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-leak-at-esperance-fuel-station.html A fuel leak at the Coles Express service station last Wednesday night called for a clean up by the Esperance Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service. A Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) spokesperson said brigades received a call out to the incident on the corner of Andrew Street and Windich Street at 5.51pm. Brigade members... Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:13:20 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/attack-on-sniffing-to-spark-sale-bans.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/attack-on-sniffing-to-spark-sale-bans.html Retailers will be banned from selling regular unleaded fuel if nearby indigenous communities are affected by petrol sniffing under a law passed in federal parliament last night. The legislation, introduced by the Greens and originally opposed by the Gillard government, strengthens the federal rollout of Opal fuel that had been... Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:51:47 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-distributors-put-case-to-slp.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-distributors-put-case-to-slp.html A number of fuel distributors are concerned that they were not fully consulted about changes to the Safe Load Program (SLP) and that they are being placed under undue financial and operational burden as a consequence. ACAPMA has been fielding calls from anxious business owners who are aggrieved that the consultation process did not... Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:57:12 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/leighton-o-brien-announces-partnership-with-tatsuno-india-private-limited.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/leighton-o-brien-announces-partnership-with-tatsuno-india-private-limited.html Global tank and fuel management company Leighton O’Brien has announced a partnership with Tatsuno India Private Limited, a subsidiary of one of the world’s largest manufacturers of petroleum equipment and systems to provide EPA-certified tank and fuel management services to Tatsuno customers throughout India. Tatsuno India... Wed, 06 Feb 2013 09:45:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drivers-key-to-reducing-truck-accidents.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drivers-key-to-reducing-truck-accidents.html Dangerous goods transport companies are being urged to rethink their training and risk management strategies and acknowledge the emerging pattern in on-road incidents; that the main cause and cost of incidents is associated with driver behaviour. The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA), representing 90... Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:53:25 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-supermarket-barcodes-to-show-how-food-is-being-produced.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-supermarket-barcodes-to-show-how-food-is-being-produced.html Barcodes are being developed in the United States that will allow consumers to use mobile phones to find out more about how their food is being produced. The new barcodes, which are similar to Quick Response or QR codes used in the advertising industry, will have 20 digits instead of 10. US consumer analyst Phil Lempert says the... Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:23:48 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/business-struck-by-two-break-ins.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/business-struck-by-two-break-ins.html Trangie Caltex Service Station owners Brett and Sue Young are fed up with two break-ins which left them with thousands of dollars in damage. About 4am on Saturday February 2, the Youngs received a call from their security company to inform them their alarm at the service station had been tampered with. When they arrived at their... Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:14:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truck-rollover-raises-nightmare-scenarios.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truck-rollover-raises-nightmare-scenarios.html A truck rollover at the notoriously tight junction of James and Cohoe Sts could present Toowoomba Fire Station officer-in-charge Tony Guse with a nightmare scenario. That nightmare would have been a reality if the truck which rolled on Monday afternoon had been carrying a highly flammable or hazardous substance. Mr Guse yesterday... Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:05:02 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-station-attendant-assaulted-in-fuel-drive-off.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-station-attendant-assaulted-in-fuel-drive-off.html A petrol station attendant has been assaulted after trying to stop a man stealing fuel. The attendant, who did not give his name, said the man put $40 of fuel in his vehicle before entering the 7-Eleven on James St about 9.15am. He said the man came into the store to buy a can of soft drink but denied having any fuel. The... Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:01:01 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-ceo-talks-about-puma-energy-acquisition-to-financial-review.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-ceo-talks-about-puma-energy-acquisition-to-financial-review.html Yesterday, global fuel distributor, Puma Energy, announced its $625 million-plus purchase of distributor and retailer Ausfuel from Archer Capital. Angela Macdonald-Smith from the Australian Financial Review spoke to ACAPMA CEO, Mr Nic Moulis, regarding his thoughts on this news and Puma Energy’s plans to invest in new import... Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:02:42 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-seeks-answers-on-tobacco.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-seeks-answers-on-tobacco.html On behalf of petrol convenience operators in Australia, ACAPMA has continued to engage with the Government on the practical relationship between plain packaging and trade publications. A question was recently raised by a ACAPMA member with respect to the placing images of ‘old’ or ‘branded’ tobacco products in... Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:55:52 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-smuggler-fined-almost--8-million.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-smuggler-fined-almost--8-million.html A Sydney man has been fined nearly $8 million for smuggling prohibited tobacco and cigarettes into Australia. Customs and Border Protection says Dory Karam tried to import a container with a declared cargo of shoes on August 2, 2007. Customs officers found 150,000 cigarettes and 12,926 kilograms of unprocessed tobacco leaf... Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:07:42 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/udv-backs-maccas--milk-sales-foray.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/udv-backs-maccas--milk-sales-foray.html A move by fast food giant McDonald’s to sell packaged milk from outlets in Queensland has been cautiously welcomed by the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria. Although there are no defined plans by south-west Victorian Maccas outlets to add milk to their menus, the UDV said it would be a bonus  if  the prices produced better... Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:03:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-convenience-store-knife-bandit.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-convenience-store-knife-bandit.html North Queensland police are searching for a man who allegedly robbed a convenience store at knife-point. An employee at the South Mackay store was threatened by the man, who stole cash and then fled just after 5:00pm (AEST) yesterday. The man is described as Caucasian in appearance, in his 30s and about 180cm tall with an obese... Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:00:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/watchdog-takes-visa-to-court-for-curbing-competition-in-currency-services.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/watchdog-takes-visa-to-court-for-curbing-competition-in-currency-services.html The competition watchdog has launched a landmark case against Visa for abuse of market power, alleging the credit card provider prevented the expansion of foreign currency exchange services in Australia. Visa and the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission have been locked in negotiations on the issues for some time before the... Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:56:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-snaps-up-ausfuel-for--625m.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-snaps-up-ausfuel-for--625m.html Dutch-based Trafigura Beheer's emerging market-focused oil subsidiary Puma Energy has purchased retail and wholesale oil distributor Ausfuel for more than $625 million, three people familiar with the matter said. Ausfuel was 73.2 per cent-owned owned by Sydney-based private equity firm Archer Capital, while management held the... Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:35:51 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drinks-that-could-be-a-super-sized-problem.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drinks-that-could-be-a-super-sized-problem.html In a time-poor society, everyone is looking for a quick fix. But you won't find it in a can of energy drink by the cash register. Consumers need to be aware that those products won't deliver a miracle. What you're paying for is a load of marketing guff. Modern life is tiring. It's no wonder the promise of a pick-me-up... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:18:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alarm-over-energy-drinks-excess.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alarm-over-energy-drinks-excess.html Enery drink fans are bragging on social media about downing dangerous amounts of the caffeine, sugar and salt-fuelled drinks in new super-sized portions, prompting concerns from Victorian health groups. Facebook fans gloat about consuming 12 bottles of energy drinks or an entire 1.2-litre container of V, released on the market last year,... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:58:29 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-hold-up-over-stolen-drink.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-hold-up-over-stolen-drink.html A teenager is in police custody after allegedly robbing a Newcastle convenience store and threatening staff with a knife. Police say just after midnight, the 15-year-old went into the shop on Hunter Street and took a drink without paying for it. He came back a soon after and took another drink, but when confronted by a staff member,... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:55:51 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-to-gobble-up-gull.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-to-gobble-up-gull.html WA's Gull Petroleum is set to change hands for the second time in two years, with global giant Puma Energy firming as the buyer of Archer Capital's Ausfuel business as early as next week. The private equity-backed Ausfuel bought the Rae family's 98 service station network in December 2010, folding it into its broader Ausfuel... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:53:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/taxes-go-up-in-smokes---and-alcohol.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/taxes-go-up-in-smokes---and-alcohol.html Smokers will cough up 28c more tax for a packet of cigarettes from today and the Federal Government will take an extra 24c for every slab of full-strength beer sold. The slug in the so-called "sin taxes'' for smokers and drinkers will also mean the tax on a bottle of spirits reaches $20. The changes are part of the... Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:42:22 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-warn-of-counterfeit--50-notes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-warn-of-counterfeit--50-notes.html Police are hunting a group of teenagers who allegedly used counterfeit $50 notes in shops at Civic and Dickson on Tuesday. The fake bank notes were first used at a convenience store in Civic about 6.20pm, police say. The four teenage boys, aged between 16 and 18, walked into the store and asked for a $50 note to be swapped for... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:51:46 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-investigate-armed-robbery---north-ryde.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-investigate-armed-robbery---north-ryde.html Police from Gladesville Local Area Command are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at a service station in North Ryde tonight. Shortly before 10pm (Wednesday 30 January, 2013) two men, who had their faces covered, entered the service station on Kent Road. One of the men was armed with a hammer and threatened the male... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:48:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles--bunnings-lift-confidence-as-shoppers-return.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles--bunnings-lift-confidence-as-shoppers-return.html Shoppers are hitting the stores again as interest rate cuts and a recovery in superannuation funds stem the slide in consumer confidence, Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder says. As the group announced yesterday that it had chalked up increases in sales across its retail businesses, Mr Goyder said consumers were still cautious,... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:45:27 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-lines-coming-up-empty-as-wet-roads-block-supply.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-lines-coming-up-empty-as-wet-roads-block-supply.html Bundaberg is facing a fuel shortage as anxious motorists queue up to try to fill their petrol tanks. Wessel Petroleum operator Paul Wessel said most sites across the city were almost out of fuel yesterday. But he urged motorists to be patient and not to drive unless they had to. "We will have fuel back when the roads... Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:40:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-launches-new-truck-safety-brochure.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-launches-new-truck-safety-brochure.html Trucking operators in New South Wales will soon receive a brochure providing up-to-date information on safety technologies for new and existing trucks.The NSW Government today launched the new safety brochure and says operators will receive the booklet over the next few weeks. Centre for Road Safety General Manager Margaret Prendergast... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:22:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/archer-capital-puts-ausfuel-up-for-sale.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/archer-capital-puts-ausfuel-up-for-sale.html Sydney-based private equity firm Archer Capital is considering selling its independent retail and wholesale oil distributor Ausfuel after several parties indicated a desire to buy the business, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The business could be worth up to 650 million Australian dollars (US$681 million) based on a... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:08:15 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-asks-the-accc-for-action.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-asks-the-accc-for-action.html Small-to-medium petrol convenience retailers and petroleum distributors are becoming increasingly frustrated that the ACCC has not yet provided their final rulings in relation to the two inquiries into the petrol convenience retail industry initiated in 2012. During May and June 2102, the ACCC announced it was conducting separate... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:30:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/a-timely-reminder-on-community-service-leave.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/a-timely-reminder-on-community-service-leave.html With the recent, and current, spate of bushfire activity and devastating floods around the country, it is important to reaffirm the facts about community service leave which is a part of the National Employment Standards (NES) in relation to leave. Community service leave includes leave required to attend jury service and other community... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:38:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-rolls-on-in-campaign-to-steal-big-boys--market.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-rolls-on-in-campaign-to-steal-big-boys--market.html Discount retailer Costco has underscored its threat to supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles by posting its maiden annual profit in Australia. It has also received a further $50 million from its American parent to bankroll an aggressive push. Costco opened the first of its warehouse stores in Australia four years ago. Operating... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:57:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-battle-to-supply-outlets.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-battle-to-supply-outlets.html Road closures and power cuts were continuing to hamper retailers' attempts to keep flood-stricken areas of Queensland supplied with food and groceries yesterday. Supermarket chain Coles had closed stores in Bundaberg, Jimboomba and Inala, while a further 20 had been cut off from re-supply shipments. Woolworths had closed its... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:50:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-and-dangerous--thieves-robbing-at-gunpoint.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-and-dangerous--thieves-robbing-at-gunpoint.html A fresh batch of handguns appears to have made its way into the hands of some of the Hunter's violent criminals, with detectives investigating three hold-ups in five days in which the weapon of choice has been a firearm. Once a rarity among robbers, illegal handguns are now being used by relatively amateur thieves and cowards who are... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:46:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-on-the-international-stage.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-on-the-international-stage.html ACAPMA’s Elisha Radwanowski represents Australia at the international meeting of ISO experts in Bioenergy on the Sunshine Coast. Last week, Standards Australia and the University of the Sunshine Coast hosted an international meeting of ISO Technical Committee 248. This meeting saw over 100 delegates from 26 countries gather on the... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:40:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-war-between-coles-and-woolworths-saving-us--4-million-a-week.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-war-between-coles-and-woolworths-saving-us--4-million-a-week.html The supermarket giants' escalating petrol price war is saving motorists up to $4 million a week. Coles doubled its shopper-docket discount to 8c a litre in October. Woolworths initially resisted the provocation but buckled on January 18. Coles has committed to keeping the discount in place until at least April - a decision... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:33:48 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/against-the-odds-wesfarmers-has-taken-coles-to-the-top-of-the-supermarket-tree.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/against-the-odds-wesfarmers-has-taken-coles-to-the-top-of-the-supermarket-tree.html First thing in the morning on November 20, 2007, Richard Goyder, chief executive of Wesfarmers, and I walked in the front door of the vast Coles Headquarters in Melbourne, known then as ''Battleship Galactica''. Wesfarmers had just become the new owner of Coles after a prolonged $19.7 billion takeover battle. For 10 years,... Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:37:09 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/we-need-more-supermarkets--not-regulation.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/we-need-more-supermarkets--not-regulation.html To drive down prices at the supermarket checkout requires more supermarkets, not more regulation. Competition tsar Rod Sims has indicated 2013 will be the year of supermarket regulation to make the sector more competitive. Speaking to the ABC earlier this year, Sims argued "the supermarket sector, the liquor sector, the hardware... Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:33:56 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/business-trying-to-absorb-carbon-tax.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/business-trying-to-absorb-carbon-tax.html Struggling manufacturing firms are experiencing a carbon tax squeeze, the greenhouse scheme adding 14.5 per cent to energy bills, but many are unwilling to raise prices. Construction firms and food suppliers are doing it particularly tough, according to an Australian Industry Group survey of 485 companies. In the most comprehensive... Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:28:56 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-service-station-bandit.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-service-station-bandit.html Police are hunting an armed robber in Perth's north this morning after he threatened a petrol station attendant with a gun. The man entered the United Petrol station on Joondalup Drive in Edgewater about 4.30am and pulled out a gun. He threatened the person working behind the counter, demanding cash. He was given money and... Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:22:29 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets--petrol-stations-forced-to-close.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets--petrol-stations-forced-to-close.html Floods have forced supermarket and petrol retailers to close dozens of outlets in Queensland, as stores are either inundated with water or cut off from power supplies. Woolworths had closed seven stores as of 5pm yesterday, including Maryborough, Sandgate, Nundah, Eight Mile Plains, Jimboomba, Bileola and Hinkler Plaza in Bundaberg, as... Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:20:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/consumer-groups-seek-clarity-in-food-labelling.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/consumer-groups-seek-clarity-in-food-labelling.html Your shopping trolley may be filled with Belgian potatoes, American oranges or Argentinian soup, but as far as you're aware they're all ''Made in Australia''. Consumer groups are calling for an overhaul of food labelling in Australia, saying it is confusing and often misleading. A recent survey showed 90 per... Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:35:12 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fancy-cigarette-packets-hit-the-shelves.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fancy-cigarette-packets-hit-the-shelves.html Hi-tech cigarette packets with elaborate artwork are on display in Australian stores. But there's a catch - they're for battery-powered smokes, not your regular cigarettes. Entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the Government's plain packaging laws - which have dressed up traditional packets in drab brown - to sell... Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:30:40 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coast-mcdonalds-now-selling-2l-milk.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coast-mcdonalds-now-selling-2l-milk.html Fast-food giant McDonalds is muscling in on the Gold Coast grocery market by selling milk through its local franchises. The fast food outlet has begun selling 2L bottles of milk in all its local drive-through stores and some shopping centre stores. It is a strategic move to offer people the convenience of grabbing the milk without... Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:27:33 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-industry-thinning-as-export-dollar-milks-supply.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-industry-thinning-as-export-dollar-milks-supply.html A South Coast NSW dairy farmer has warned of nation-wide milk shortage in six months as the effects of drought and the export market impact. While many consumers have relished the supermarket price war that saw the cost of milk drop to $1 per litre almost two years ago to the day, supply and drought threaten to sour the situation. ... Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:25:07 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-20-trillion-shale-oil-find-surrounding-coober-pedy--can-fuel-australia--.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-20-trillion-shale-oil-find-surrounding-coober-pedy--can-fuel-australia--.html South Australia is sitting on oil potentially worth more than $20 trillion, independent reports claim - enough to turn Australia into a self-sufficient fuel producer. Brisbane company Linc Energy yesterday released two reports, based on drilling and seismic exploration, estimating the amount of oil in the as yet untapped Arckaringa Basin... Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:02:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/suppliers-squeezed-in-retail-battle.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/suppliers-squeezed-in-retail-battle.html As retail property trusts, shopping centres and retailers pore over preliminary retail sales figures for December before aggregating them for next month's profit results, the speculation is that supermarkets experienced a strong month, while department stores and discount department stores were middling. The unofficial figures follow... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:31:59 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-expands-into-australia.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/puma-energy-expands-into-australia.html Competition and supply in Australia’s fuel market will receive a much-needed boost with the announcement today that Neumann Petroleum, owner of Matilda and Neumann service stations, is to be acquired by Puma Energy. The agreement is subject to regulatory approvals and procedural consents. Under the deal, which represents Puma... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:20:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/poll--jamberoo-farmer-slams-supermarket-milk-war.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/poll--jamberoo-farmer-slams-supermarket-milk-war.html It was the day Coles supermarkets started selling its home brand milk for $1 a litre, a move that was immediately matched by rival Woolworths. Two years on, Jamberoo dairy farmer and Kiama councillor Mark Honey said farmers continued to feel the impact of the cost of the milk-price war. Cr Honey said his farm’s income would be... Tue, 22 Jan 2013 09:06:07 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-threat--petrol-station-closed-over-leak.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-threat--petrol-station-closed-over-leak.html Mildura’s emergency services went into action yesterday fearing a potential major hazard when a gas leak was detected at a Mildura service station. BP Mildura was closed to the public yesterday afternoon after a leak was discovered in one of the gas tanks. CFA crews isolated the Fifteenth Street and Etiwanda Avenue service... Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:45:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/premium-petrol--a-waste-of-money-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/premium-petrol--a-waste-of-money-.html Sydney drivers are being urged to stop filling up their cars with premium petrol and instead use cheaper fuel. The NRMA is backing claims that in most cases the highly refined option is a waste of money. A new report by FuelWatch shows the gap between regular unleaded and premium steadily climbing over the past decade. The... Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:40:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victoria-point-convenience-store-robbed.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victoria-point-convenience-store-robbed.html Police are investigating the armed robbery of a convenience store in Victoria Point last night. Police said shortly before 11.45pm a man entered the Colburn Avenue store and threatened the store attendantwith a knife, demanding money. The attendant complied and the man left the store with a sum of cash. He was last seen heading... Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:43:44 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-worker-threatened-with-knife-in-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-worker-threatened-with-knife-in-robbery.html A masked bandit threatened a service station worker with a knife in Edgewater last night. Police said the armed robber, who concealed his face with a mask, stole cigarettes and cash after threatening staff at the Joondalup Drive service station just before 10pm last night. The man ran away and was last seen heading towards Joondalup... Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:38:48 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-increases-presence-of-adblue-at-the-pump.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-increases-presence-of-adblue-at-the-pump.html Shell is doubling its AdBlue at pump presence at Coles Express locations across Australia to meet the growing demand of trucks with selective catalytic reduction (SCR). Shell has added AdBlue to another six locations across major truck routes in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. It says the AdBlue... Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:28:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/food-health-claims-face-new-scrutiny.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/food-health-claims-face-new-scrutiny.html Nearly a third of all health claims on food sold in NSW supermarkets will have to be removed under laws to be introduced from Friday, research has found. The laws mandate basic standards products must meet to promote the benefits of ingredients, preventing products making claims such as ''high in calcium for healthy... Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:44:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/push-to-deny-retail-giants-second-chance-at-extended-trading-hours.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/push-to-deny-retail-giants-second-chance-at-extended-trading-hours.html Retail giants could be blocked from pouring cash into re-submitting failed applications for extended trading hours under a plan by independent retailer IGA for tough new laws. The retailer plans to step up its fight against an "onslaught" of applications for extended retail trading hours by lobbying the Queensland Government to... Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:30:46 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-call-on-opposition-to-back-their-cause.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-call-on-opposition-to-back-their-cause.html Wannon MP Dan Tehan has invited Mr Cobb to attend next month’s Sungold Field Days at Allansford and address a dairy farmer forum. A spokesman said Mr Cobb was “very aware” of the financial difficulties dairy farmers faced from the high Australian dollar’s impact on exports, the supermarket milk price wars and the... Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:27:20 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-party-to-take-on-banks--supermarkets.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-party-to-take-on-banks--supermarkets.html Cheesed-off bank and supermarket customers are seeking the go-ahead for a new political party to contest this year's federal election. The Bank Reform Party has applied to the Australian Electoral Commission for registration, with the objections period closing on February 18. The party's founder Adrian Bradley, who will run... Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:20:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/forget-peak-oil--says-bp-chief.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/forget-peak-oil--says-bp-chief.html Warnings that the world is headed for ‘‘peak oil’’ - when oil supplies decline after reaching the highest rates of extraction - appear ‘‘increasingly groundless’’, BP’s chief executive said on Wednesday. Bob Dudley’s remarks came as the company published a study predicting oil... Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:17:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/japanese-energy-company-buys-freedom-fuels.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/japanese-energy-company-buys-freedom-fuels.html Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd has announced their purchase of the Brisbane based Freedom Fuels Group. In a joint letter sent to customers in mid-December the two companies said that Idemitsu, who have been looking to expand in the Australian Market, saw Freedom Fuels as an ideal fit; indicating that the business will continue to look at... Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:25:20 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-postpones-national-fuel-price-board-webinar.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-postpones-national-fuel-price-board-webinar.html Earlier this morning ACAPMA CEO, Nic Moulis, announced that the National Fuel Price Board Regulation webinar scheduled to be held today, 17 January at 11am, has been postponed until later in the month. In an email to registered participants for the session, Mr Moulis explained the reasons behind the decision to postpone the event,... Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:03:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australians-urged-to-rethink-sugary-drinks.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australians-urged-to-rethink-sugary-drinks.html Health organisations are trying to take the fizz out of Australians' love of soft drinks. Along with the launch of a new TV campaign to warn of the dangers of sugary beverages, they've also proposed a tax on drinks with high sugar levels. The campaign, Rethink Sugary Drink, which launches today, will encourage Australians to... Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:47:50 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-station-robbed-by--sweet-toothed--bandit---batemans-bay.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-station-robbed-by--sweet-toothed--bandit---batemans-bay.html Police are looking for an armed man with a sweet tooth following the robbery of a petrol station at Batemans Bay this morning. About 12:20am, Wednesday 16 January 2013, a man was working in the petrol station near Hughes Street and the Princes Highway when he was approached by a man wearing a balaclava. He was threatened with a rifle... Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:30:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-theft-on-rise-in-tweed--weekdays-now-most-common.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-theft-on-rise-in-tweed--weekdays-now-most-common.html Police are concerned by the rapid rise of petrol theft in the Tweed. Tweed/Byron Local Area Command Acting Inspector Saul Wiseman said thieves usually struck on weekday afternoons. "Stealing petrol is a problem here," he said. "A lot is being stolen around the Tweed heads area." At a meeting with petrol... Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:21:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tasco-take-compliance-excellence-to-the-next-level.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tasco-take-compliance-excellence-to-the-next-level.html ACAPMA member TASCO Inland are leading the way, engaging managers and staff in a program of continuous learning, aimed at delivering compliance and business success at the retail level. At a recent TASCO Site Managers Conference, a full day was set aside for staff to go through the comprehensive, frontline compliance and operations course... Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:03:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles--cheap-milk-is-at-our-expense.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles--cheap-milk-is-at-our-expense.html Coles supermarkets has hit back at dairy farmers’ claims that its heavy discounting of milk prices is reducing farm gate milk prices and devaluing the product in the minds of consumers. Speaking yesterday on Melbourne radio station 3AW, Coles spokesman Jim Cooper said the supermarket was funding the milk price cut and there was no... Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:42:52 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths--wesfarmers-in-global-top-20.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths--wesfarmers-in-global-top-20.html Woolworths and Wesfarmers are the only Australian companies among the top 250 global retailers, according to a new report from Deloitte. The report, titled Global Powers of Retailing 2013, analyses the world's top retailers by revenue. Woolworths is ranked No 17 in the world and Wesfarmers is hard on its heels at No 18. The... Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:38:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shot-fired-into-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shot-fired-into-service-station.html A shot has been fired into a service station during an attempted robbery on NSW's south coast. The 35-year-old service station attendant walked outside the shop on the Princes Highway, Tomerong, to begin packing up for the night just after 9pm (AEDT) on Tuesday. But he ran back inside after spotting a man outside in a light blue... Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:31:07 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/union-welcomes-audit-of-service-stations.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/union-welcomes-audit-of-service-stations.html The Hunter's peak union body is applauding the Fair Work Ombudsman for taking action against fuel retailers breaking the law. The workplace umpire is auditing up to 25 service stations in the Hunter and Mid-North Coast regions after receiving a number of underpayment complaints. It is the first audit of the regions' fuel... Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:01:46 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco--clarification-on--plain--requirements.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco--clarification-on--plain--requirements.html ACAPMA is consulting with the Department as Plain Packaging laws go through the teething phase to ensure retailers can clearly identify compliance and protect their businesses and staff from costly fines. From 1st December 2012, all tobacco products sold in Australia must be in compliant plain packaging, retailers purchasing, selling or... Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:59:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-goes-out-of-its-way-for-local-produce.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-goes-out-of-its-way-for-local-produce.html Supermarket giant Woolworths has begun stocking locally sourced groceries from small producers as it seeks to tap into the popularity of buying local.Under the strategy, Woolworths is seeking out small and medium-sized food manufacturers it would previously have overlooked because they didn't have the scale to supply its entire network... Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:51:31 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/energy-drinks-nudge-coke-off-shelf.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/energy-drinks-nudge-coke-off-shelf.html The 225 million litres of energy drink consumed by Australians last year is the most ever, according to new research. And energy drink companies Red Bull and V producer Frucor are squeezing long-time soft drink king Coca-Cola off store shelves, a report says. After a shelf check of the nation's stores, Commonwealth Bank analysts... Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:47:02 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-unite-at-noorat.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-unite-at-noorat.html Price, milk payment systems, supermarket power and lack of industry leadership were in the firing line at a dairy crisis meeting last night. Up to 600 dairy farmers, service providers and concerned community members spilled out of the Kolora-Noorat Football Club rooms at Noorat to listen to guest speakers outlining the current crisis in... Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:31:02 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stop-milking-our-dairy-farmers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stop-milking-our-dairy-farmers.html Just because people get used to paying more taxes doesn't mean they should have to, writes Peter Reith. Dairy farmers should be given a chance to compete. As our televisions have been saturated with stories of fire and the tireless work of volunteer firefighters, many Australians would be thinking about the 'mateship' that is... Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:15:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-wielding-knife-robs-petrol-station-on-bourke-street--waterloo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-wielding-knife-robs-petrol-station-on-bourke-street--waterloo.html Police are searching for a knife wielding thief who robbed a service station in Sydney last night. The man burst into the United petrol station on Bourke St, Waterloo about 2.30am. He threatened a staff member with the weapon and stole cash before running away. Police are investigating the incident and ask anyone with information... Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:03:17 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-retailers-clear-way-for-extended-trading-hours-in-reversal-of-previous-opposition-to-proposals.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-retailers-clear-way-for-extended-trading-hours-in-reversal-of-previous-opposition-to-proposals.html Shops are a step closer to deregulated hours, with the state's small traders association reversing its opposition to a push to allow retailers to open when they want. The United Retail Federation (URF) has withdrawn its long-held opposition to deregulating retail trading hours in Queensland and has called on the... Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:58:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-spill-prompts-warning-about-overfilling.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-spill-prompts-warning-about-overfilling.html The Country Fire Authority has warned car owners about overfilling fuel tanks in hot weather. The warning came after fire crews physically lifted a car to stop a petrol spill in the car park at the corner of Hargreaves and Edward streets about 5pm yesterday. CFA members stopped the fuel leak by levelling the car... Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:29:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-sets-car-alight-in-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-sets-car-alight-in-petrol-station.html Think differently, Think community Attend great events - join St John! A man has been charged after allegedly driving a car to a Brisbane petrol station, dowsing it with fuel and setting it alight. Police allege a man drove into a Tarragindi service station in Brisbane's south just after 3.30am on Saturday and parked beside a... Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:26:31 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-thieves-caught-on-camera.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-thieves-caught-on-camera.html If you’re going to steal petrol from the APCO service station in Raglan Parade you better smile for the camera. Any petrol drive-offs or thefts from the store are promptly displayed on a poster with the offender’s mug there for the world to see. Store manager Edgar Tanner said most thieves were identified within two hours... Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:23:45 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/private-label-campaigns-reducing-choice--says-afgc.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/private-label-campaigns-reducing-choice--says-afgc.html Major supermarkets are reducing their overall product range as they aggressively promote their home brand products, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) claims. According to AFGC CEO Gary Dawson, research released by Coles reveals the extent of the fall in product choices on offer to consumers. The research, conducted by... Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:12:29 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gen-x-pips-boomers-to-lead-online-retail-spending.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gen-x-pips-boomers-to-lead-online-retail-spending.html Generation X remains the key generational group for online spending, according to analysis by NAB, with an industry expert attributing the finding to Gen X’s easy access to technology. According to analysis of debit and credit card transactions by NAB and data analytics firm Quantium, Gen X spent more per person in the retail... Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:04:27 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/food-poisoning-risk-in-ready-to-eat-food.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/food-poisoning-risk-in-ready-to-eat-food.html A spike in the number of patients suffering from potentially life-threatening listeriosis has prompted a warning for NSW residents with weak immune systems to avoid risky or exotic foods. Listeriosis is caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes. Eight listeria infections were reported in December,... Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:51:41 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cheap-supermarket-food-could-lead-to-reduced-competition-say-choice--nff.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cheap-supermarket-food-could-lead-to-reduced-competition-say-choice--nff.html A 'grocery war' between the major supermarkets could be counterproductive according to the National Farmers' Federation and consumer group Choice Ingrid Just from consumer group Choice says while lower prices are good for consumers there is little real competition in the supermarket sector. "We always support... Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:49:04 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ram-raids-keep-racking-up-in-bunbury.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ram-raids-keep-racking-up-in-bunbury.html Police believe two thieves used a stolen vehicle and a sledge hammer to smash their way into the store about 3am Monday morning. The vehicle used was a Toyota Landcruiser with the registration number CO14616. Once inside, the thieves broke into the store’s safe and stole a quantity of cash.  The same morning, petrol... Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:41:01 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/battle-for-milk-spills-to-servos.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/battle-for-milk-spills-to-servos.html Supermarket titan Coles has taken the price war to convenience stores - with independent supplier Metcash expected to feel the biggest blow. The retail giant has rolled out milk at $1 a litre and discount bread in more than 620 Coles Express stores around the country, and has not ruled out lowering prices on other staples. Analysts... Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:35:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/suppliers-pay-for-supermarket-price-war.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/suppliers-pay-for-supermarket-price-war.html The art of good corporate communications is to surround the company with good news to prevent the vacuum being filled by negatives, which explains why Coles will keep reports of consumer price cuts running as long as it can. January 26 marks the second anniversary of the $1 litre of milk, and there is every reason to think it will remain... Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:09:09 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/future-of-retail-lies-beyond-the-clouds.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/future-of-retail-lies-beyond-the-clouds.html Australian retailers will need to exploit new technologies such as 3D printing, augmented reality, location services, mobile wallets, big data analytics and machine-to-machine systems to appeal to consumers and compete successfully in future, according to industry experts. Although retailers often get panned for their poor online... Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:04:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/proposed-new-rules-for-clearer-prices-at-the-pump.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/proposed-new-rules-for-clearer-prices-at-the-pump.html Minister for Business Services and Consumers John Rau released a discussion paper last week calling for a national approach for clearer information on petrol pricing. Mr Rau said motorists around the nation have shown concerns over the industry's current price advertising practices and has moved for more transparency in pricing. ... Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:52:51 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hunt-for-man-after-pooraka-service-station-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hunt-for-man-after-pooraka-service-station-robbery.html Police are looking for a man who threatened staff at a Pooraka service station last night before escaping with cash. The man entered the Diagonal Rd business about 11.30pm and told staff he had a knife. He was given a small amount of money and stole drinks before leaving, walking past two people filling their cars with petrol. ... Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:48:17 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-station-feels-the-heat-as-temperature-soars.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-station-feels-the-heat-as-temperature-soars.html Last Friday's sweltering weather conditions not only had residents in a tizzy but had one local petrol station feeling the heat as well. Local Metropolitan Fire Services crews were called to the Shell petrol station on Playford Avenue after the pressure safety valve on its fuel supply vented due to the hot weather. Local MFS... Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:46:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tgp-reporting-for-acapma-members.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tgp-reporting-for-acapma-members.html During 2013, there will be some new service initiatives delivered as part of ACAPMA membership. The first of these is a new daily email service, the ACAPMA Daily TGP Report, which will provide members with the posted Terminal Gate Prices from every major supplier at every seaboard terminal across Australia. When launching the program,... Wed, 09 Jan 2013 08:41:42 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/industry-association-to-host-fuel-price-board-webinar-to-benefit-businesses.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/industry-association-to-host-fuel-price-board-webinar-to-benefit-businesses.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) will be hosting a National Fuel Price Board Regulations webinar, for the entire petroleum and convenience industry. The session, to be held on 31 January 2013, aims to inform the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry about the recently proposed... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:04:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/battlefield-advances-in-the-supermarket-price-war.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/battlefield-advances-in-the-supermarket-price-war.html If you think the supermarket price war has gone about as far as it can go then think again. Over the holiday break I was yarning with Coles chief executive Ian McLeod who says that there are a lot more price reductions to come in the years ahead. In light of that declaration, the enormous impact of the Coles instigated supermarket price war... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:11:45 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-to-introduce-four-can-sales-limit-to-keep-baby-formula-on-shelves.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-to-introduce-four-can-sales-limit-to-keep-baby-formula-on-shelves.html Woolworths has limited sales of all baby formula to four tins per transaction, after reports that supermarket shelves were being stripped bare of specific brands to send to China. "We understand that mums need peace of mind that the supply of their chosen brand of infant formula is assured," a Woolworths' spokeswoman... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:09:14 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fire-at-rosehill-lpg-storage-plant.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fire-at-rosehill-lpg-storage-plant.html Hazardous materials officers from Fire and Rescue NSW say they are concerned about possible asbestos contamination after a fire at a Rosehill gas plant this morning. Roads were closed off around the factory where liquefied petroleum gas bottles are re-filled after the fire. Parramatta fire fighter Bob Callow said the fire had been... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:07:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/record-price-cuts-as-retail-continues-to-suffer.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/record-price-cuts-as-retail-continues-to-suffer.html The first few months of 2013 will be a bargain-hunter's paradise, with more businesses cutting prices than at any point in the last 24 years. A survey of 1,200 business owners and senior managers in the retail, wholesale and manufacturing sectors, shows a larger-than-usual number expect to have to offer price discounts to overcome... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:58:47 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-trends-show-lure-of-online-shopping.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-trends-show-lure-of-online-shopping.html Internet retail spending surged by 15 per cent in November thanks to shoppers ordering gifts online in time for pre-Christmas delivery, while cheaper prices continue to lure customers away from traditional retailers. NAB's Online Retail Sales Index showed $12.6 billion was spent online over the year to the end of November --... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:54:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/girls-rob-kenmore-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/girls-rob-kenmore-service-station.html Two 16-year-old girls face multiple charges following a robbery at a Kenmore service station on Saturday night. The two allegedly entered the station on Moggill Rd at 8.30pm and threatened an employee with a knife before fleeing with a sum of cash and cigarettes. No one was physically injured during the... Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:49:08 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/unholy-row-over-early-hot-cross-bun-sales.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/unholy-row-over-early-hot-cross-bun-sales.html A festive brawl has erupted over hot cross buns, with supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths rolling out the traditional Easter treats more than three months before Good Friday. Woolworths ordered most of its in-store bakeries to begin baking hot cross buns just a day after Boxing Day, while Coles began selling the sweet treats on... Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:35:52 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/perth-is-the-world-s-retail-capital.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/perth-is-the-world-s-retail-capital.html Perth is the retail growth capital of the Western world, with local shoppers upping their spending by 9.73 per cent in 2012, compared with the previous year. The consumer splurge eclipsed the rest of the nation. National retail spending grew by an average of 3.37 per cent in 2012, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. AMP... Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:30:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/biofuels-may-not-be-as-green-as-hoped--nature.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/biofuels-may-not-be-as-green-as-hoped--nature.html Green schemes to fight climate change by producing more bio-fuels could actually worsen a little-known type of air pollution and cause almost 1,400 premature deaths a year in Europe by 2020, a study showed on Sunday. The report said trees grown to produce wood fuel - seen as a cleaner alternative to oil and coal - released a chemical into... Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:32:32 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/free-covers-to-filter-cigarette-pack-warnings-may-be-illegal.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/free-covers-to-filter-cigarette-pack-warnings-may-be-illegal.html Australia’s largest tobacco franchise could be in breach of state laws by giving away free cardboard cigarette sleeves designed to cover plain cigarette packs. The Tobacco Station Group, which has more than 300 stores nationally, is offering the covers, which feature the company's logo and web address, free to customers... Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:06:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/just-one-park-from-disaster.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/just-one-park-from-disaster.html A semi-trailer came within inches of igniting an inferno at a Sydney service station after it rolled on to its side and slid into a petrol bowser yesterday. The truck, carrying bales of wool, was turning in to the Shell service station on Pennant Hills Rd, Pennant Hills, when it overturned and destroyed the petrol pump... Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:58:27 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-want-fair-go.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-farmers-want-fair-go.html Fresh milk will disappear from supermarket shelves if dairy farmers aren’t treated fairly, says the Vasse president of WA Farmers. Greg Chapman warned consumers “will be drinking UHT from anywhere” if Coles doesn’t end its $1 milk campaign. A joint-commissioned sustainable milk price report... Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:12:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/carriers-say-act-can-take-b-triples.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/carriers-say-act-can-take-b-triples.html ACT freight companies see no reason why B-triple trucks could not deliver bulk freight such as fuel into the national capital. The trucking industry is pushing for the 35-metre combinations to ease congestion on the Hume Highway. The NSW government is proposing a trial in 2014, after the major interstate route's last... Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:00:04 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/car-makers-embracing-smaller-engines.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/car-makers-embracing-smaller-engines.html Experts predict a great future for small engines as car makers downsize their products, utilising turbo-charging and direct fuel injection technology. Motorists tend to look down on them, yet, small engines have been around for years. Now that carmakers are taking downsizing to a new level they are embracing even... Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:53:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mood-and-weather-are-powerful-buy-words.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/mood-and-weather-are-powerful-buy-words.html So you're about to go shopping. I imagine you trust yourself. You shouldn't. New research shows you are far more vulnerable to whims than previously thought - even when buying really big things - and your decisions are affected by your mood, although not always how you would expect. It's well-known that you... Wed, 02 Jan 2013 09:50:04 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vandals-and-criminals-on-the-attack.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vandals-and-criminals-on-the-attack.html His car, a silver Kia, was attacked and vandalised in a seemingly random attack on Monday night. It was parked on Hastings River Drive and Mr Barnett was staying in a nearby residence. Most of the panels on the van were damaged and the back window and front windscreen were smashed. “I... Wed, 02 Jan 2013 09:44:41 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stabbed-man-found-in-toilet-at-burpengary-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stabbed-man-found-in-toilet-at-burpengary-service-station.html A man suffering stab wounds was found in a toilet at the BP service station at Burpengary this morning. Police were called to the scene at the Bruce Hwy service station about 4.25am and found the 25-year-old man injured but unable to tell them what had happened. A police spokesman said no complaint was made by... Wed, 02 Jan 2013 09:40:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accommodating-b-triple-trucks.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accommodating-b-triple-trucks.html The appearance of B-triple trucks on Australian's main highways has long been mooted, but recent reports on the NSW government's draft freight strategy indicate they could be plying the Hume Highway as early as next year. NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay appeared to discount the possibility of a trial within the next 12 months, but the... Wed, 02 Jan 2013 09:34:40 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-year-the-coast-was-held-hostage-to-armed-hold-ups.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-year-the-coast-was-held-hostage-to-armed-hold-ups.html Brandishing a knife and yelling, "I'll kill you, if you don't hand me the money", the masked bandit struck terror into the female attendant of the Matilda Service Station in Caloundra. She shook with fear as she opened the cash register, handed over money and watched as he ran from the store towards his getaway... Mon, 31 Dec 2012 09:23:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alleged-armed-robber-collared-by-alert-coffs-police.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alleged-armed-robber-collared-by-alert-coffs-police.html A man was taken into custody on Saturday night after police swooped on a petrol station in central Coffs Harbour. His arrest followed an alleged attempted armed robbery at a nearby liquor store. Witnesses said a man threatened staff with a bladed implement and smashed a number of bottles on the floor before... Mon, 31 Dec 2012 09:11:03 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-to-join-war-on-petrol.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-to-join-war-on-petrol.html Retail giant Costco is set to spark a petrol price war as it forges ahead with a plan to roll out its own discount fuel outlets. Queenslanders could be the first to queue for cut-price fuel sold by the US retailer, with the Newman Government about to decide whether the state's first Costco outlet will be given the green... Mon, 31 Dec 2012 09:05:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-chains-have-no-business-opening-on-boxing-day.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-chains-have-no-business-opening-on-boxing-day.html One of Orange’s convenience store owners says giant retail and supermarket chains should be forced to continue to close their doors on Boxing Day simply because they clean up every other day of the year. Jack’s Corner Store opened on Boxing Day, as it has for the last 12 years. The store’s owner,... Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:28:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-head-julian-segal-wants-to-change-the-public-perception-of-the-company.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-head-julian-segal-wants-to-change-the-public-perception-of-the-company.html The head of Caltex, Australia's only listed oil refiner and a leading transport fuel supplier, says his company has an image problem to overcome at a time when local refineries are being squeezed by big new Asian rivals. "There is some perception that Caltex has two refineries and a couple of petrol stations,"... Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:13:41 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truck-wedged-under-canopy-at-shell-service-station-in-box-hill.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truck-wedged-under-canopy-at-shell-service-station-in-box-hill.html A truckie has chosen an unusual parking spot for his rig today, finding himself in a bit of a jam. The driver pulled into a petrol station in Box Hill when his truck become wedged under the service station canopy. Firefighters said they were scratching their heads as to how to get the truck out of the jam. Fri, 28 Dec 2012 09:16:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/knife-and-baseball-bat-used-in-yamanto-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/knife-and-baseball-bat-used-in-yamanto-robbery.html Police are on the hunt for two men who armed themselves with a knife and baseball bat before robbing a Yamanto service station overnight. The masked men entered the Cunningham Highway Oz Fuels service station about 9.25pm, demanding money from a 23-year-old male employee. Police say the men took a sum of... Thu, 27 Dec 2012 18:58:27 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/boxing-day-bonanza-as-card-use-jumps-30-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/boxing-day-bonanza-as-card-use-jumps-30-.html Boxing Day transactions have risen by about 30 per cent from last year, with just under four million withdrawals processed, the National Australia Bank says, bringing some Christmas joy for the embattled retail sector. The bank said it registered more than 3.8 million ATM, EFTPOS, debit and credit card transactions yesterday, at... Thu, 27 Dec 2012 18:51:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-comes-before-beer--study-shows.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-comes-before-beer--study-shows.html Getting a man to form an emotional connection to your product pays off more if you're selling petrol than beer. That's one of the findings in a study on emotional branding by John Rossiter from the University of Wollongong. A research professor of marketing, Professor Rossiter worked on the study with media... Thu, 27 Dec 2012 18:48:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/convenient-option-for-fresh-foods.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/convenient-option-for-fresh-foods.html The chain that is home of the Slurpee, Big Gulp and self-serve nachos with chilli and cheese is betting consumers will stop in for yoghurt parfaits, crudite and lean turkey on wholewheat bread. The 7-Eleven convenience store chain is restocking its shelves with an eye towards health. Over the past year, the retailer has... Thu, 27 Dec 2012 18:41:37 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/milk-factory-workers-stage-strike.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/milk-factory-workers-stage-strike.html A dairy worker has been charged with public nuisance during an overnight strike at a factory in Logan, south of Brisbane. About 80 workers have walked off the job for 24 hours arguing for better pay and conditions. Dozens of workers have been blockading the entrance to the Dairy Farmers factory at Crestmead,... Mon, 24 Dec 2012 10:35:57 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-to-look-at-coles--move-to-extend-shopper-docket-fuel-discounts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-to-look-at-coles--move-to-extend-shopper-docket-fuel-discounts.html A decision by Coles to extend its 8c-a-litre petrol discount until Easter will be investigated by the ACCC as part of its probe into shopper dockets. The doubling of the usual saving means that Coles shoppers who've spent at least $30 in a single transaction can cut the cost of refilling a Holden Commodore at an... Mon, 24 Dec 2012 10:29:08 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-plays-part-in-walkley-winning-report.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-plays-part-in-walkley-winning-report.html A series of Seven News reports, by the Seven Network, on the NSW ethanol mandate has won the coveted Walkley Award for Television News Reporting. Using Freedom of Information requests, the Seven News team of Sharri Markson, Michael McKinnon, Adam Walters and Lee Jeloscek, uncovered NSW Cabinet meeting minutes and repeated warnings by... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:33:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-says-holiday-petrol-prices-have-been-independently-investigated.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-says-holiday-petrol-prices-have-been-independently-investigated.html Fuel prices are fully and independently investigated every year and it has been proven that public holiday price cycles are no different to any other time. The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA), which represents petroleum distributors and petrol convenience retailers across Australia, says that the... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:51:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/albany-man-wins-new-car-in-caltex-s-national-vortex-promotion.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/albany-man-wins-new-car-in-caltex-s-national-vortex-promotion.html An Albany father-of-two has won a new Peugeot 508 GT 2.2 HDi turbo diesel automatic car following a recent purchase from Caltex Australia’s range of premium fuels. Eric Norman won the $57,000 vehicle after entering Caltex's "Keep it Clean" promotion. The competition was open to customers who purchased more than... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:35:04 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/innovative-diesel-stop-boosts-caltex-diesel-supply-in-north-west-wa.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/innovative-diesel-stop-boosts-caltex-diesel-supply-in-north-west-wa.html The remote Western Australian communities of Tom Price and Paraburdoo have access to a new supply of diesel thanks to an innovative engineering initiative by Caltex Australia. The recently commissioned Caltex Tom Price Diesel Stop is unique in that it is not connected to the electricity grid and is principally solar-powered, providing... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:57:13 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/workers-will-be-given--reasonable-right--to-refuse-to-work-on-new-part-public-holidays.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/workers-will-be-given--reasonable-right--to-refuse-to-work-on-new-part-public-holidays.html All workers will be given a "reasonable right" to refuse to work on two new part-day public holidays in South Australia, under a Fair Work Australia determination delivered this morning. Fair Work Australia's draft determination ends long-running confusion over how to apply laws governing new part-day public holidays... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 09:04:31 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-transport-firm-axes-jobs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-transport-firm-axes-jobs.html A Queensland fuel transporting company has become the latest company to cut jobs in north Queensland a week before Christmas. Hawkins Transport has axed 12 jobs from its operations in Mackay after a renegotiation process with major fuel companies broke down. A company spokeswoman says no local jobs will be lost, with the cuts being... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 08:51:10 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-pulled.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-pulled.html Wangaratta campaigners have won their fight against a 24-hour Safeway service station planned near a school. Woolworths yesterday announced they would withdraw their planning application to council. The decision has been heralded as a victory for regional communities, after thousands of residents protested against the move and... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 08:36:50 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nrma-queries-sydney-petrol-prices.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nrma-queries-sydney-petrol-prices.html The NRMA is calling for an investigation into why Sydney petrol prices have gone up just before Christmas when trends indicate they should be going down. The motoring body on Friday called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to probe the price hikes. It says the hikes have come at a time when international... Fri, 21 Dec 2012 08:31:38 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-trials-hybrid-self-checkout-system-in-victoria.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-trials-hybrid-self-checkout-system-in-victoria.html Supermarket and liquor retailer Coles is trialling two hybrid self-checkout systems at its new Southland supermarket in Melbourne, Victoria. The system is a belted unit that can be switched between self-service and assisted-service mode. Assisted service means that the Coles checkout operator can help the customer to scan and bag grocery... Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:00:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/front-end-loader-used-in-safe-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/front-end-loader-used-in-safe-robbery.html A thief has stolen a front-end loader and then driven it through the front wall of a Wee Waa supermarket and made off with a safe. Residents in Rose St heard a noise about 3am on Tuesday and looked out their windows to see the front-end loader smash through the front wall of the IGA supermarket, regional media report. The loader was... Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:56:50 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/community-pleads-for-non-sniffable-fuel.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/community-pleads-for-non-sniffable-fuel.html A rise in solvent abuse at Jigalong has renewed calls for the remote Aboriginal community to switch to non-sniffable fuel. Jigalong police Sen. Sgt Neil Gordon said an influx of visitors to the community last month had brought a sharp rise in sniffing. Several juveniles had been charged with trespassing and stealing related to fuel,... Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:46:37 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chipping-away-at-the-title.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chipping-away-at-the-title.html Kings Chips is the brainchild of Antonios Papastamatis and sons John and Nick who began Robbies Confectionery 25 years ago. Robbies distributes more than 4000 lines of sweets from its Rokeby factory. The proud Tasmanian Greek family has taken on the big players with its own line of organic, gluten-free potato and corn chips made from... Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:43:16 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chief-commissioner-ken-lay-leads-victorian-police-into-a-brighter-year.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chief-commissioner-ken-lay-leads-victorian-police-into-a-brighter-year.html Chief Commissioner Ken Lay says he is proud of the way his force has come through one of its most turbulent periods. Nearing the end of his first full year at the tiller, Mr Lay said members had responded well to troubled times. When he took over as caretaker chief commissioner in June last year, Victoria Police had been severely... Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:38:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-member-goes-the-extra-1-400-miles.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-member-goes-the-extra-1-400-miles.html The recent Victorian refinery shutdowns, which caused diesel shortages across that State, also left South Australia wanting for diesel supply.  Independent fuel distributor and ACAPMA member Liberty Oil went to Western Australia to source diesel so millions of dollars’ worth of industry were able to keep going.“Much of South... Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:27:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma---the-house-during-2013.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma---the-house-during-2013.html Everyday ACAPMA advocates on behalf of the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industries. The involvement of members is essential to advocating the industry’s agenda. The more who get involved, the louder the message becomes. In addition, members of Parliament often base their voting decisions on feedback they receive... Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:23:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-business-wins-cut-in-agl-power-bills.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-business-wins-cut-in-agl-power-bills.html Electricity bills for small businesses which have been on AGL standing contracts will be cut by 4.5 per cent under market reforms announced by the State Government yesterday. The reforms deregulate the electricity and gas markets and provide substantial cuts to residential customers. Instead of prices being set by the Essential... Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:29:07 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/listeria-outbreak-prompts-cheese-recall.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/listeria-outbreak-prompts-cheese-recall.html A listeria outbreak has prompted a nation-wide recall of some of the most popular brands of soft cheeses across Australia. Eight cases of listeria infection across Australia have found to be linked and a further three cases are under investigation, Victoria's Department of Health said. The state's chief health officer... Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:17:51 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/foodworks-closes-after-losing-battle-against-big-chains.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/foodworks-closes-after-losing-battle-against-big-chains.html The shelves are bare, stock gone and the doors shut on Emerald Foodworks after customers flocked to the shop on Sunday for a final bargain. With its doors covered in 10-50% off posters, the popular and iconic store was stripped of its goods and has closed down, which Emerald Chamber of Commerce president Victor Cominos said could be... Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:14:46 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-stations-and-roadhouses-the-focus-of-new-campaign-in-nsw-hunter-and-mid-north-coast.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-stations-and-roadhouses-the-focus-of-new-campaign-in-nsw-hunter-and-mid-north-coast.html The Fair Work Ombudsman will audit up to 25 fuel retailers in the NSW Hunter and Mid-North Coast regions region over the next four months as part of a new education and compliance campaign. The campaign will focus on company-owned, franchised and independent service stations and roadhouses. Fair Work inspectors will check employers... Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:36:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/strike-disrupts-fremantle-port-operations.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/strike-disrupts-fremantle-port-operations.html More than 100 wharf workers have gone on strike at Fremantle Port and the Kwinana bulk terminal, south of Perth. The Maritime Union says members have stopped work because they want their new enterprise agreements to include a clause guaranteeing they will not lose their jobs if some or all port operations are privatised in the... Tue, 18 Dec 2012 10:49:32 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chamber-opposes-further-extending-retail-hours.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chamber-opposes-further-extending-retail-hours.html The Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce says there is no need to extend trading hours in the city. The United Retail Federation has reversed its earlier opposition and wants the Queensland Government to consider greater flexibility for retailers in the south-east. Chamber president Andrew Weilandt says Sunday trading was introduced in the... Tue, 18 Dec 2012 10:28:51 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costs-to-be-considered-before-qld-bans-plastic-bags--powell.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costs-to-be-considered-before-qld-bans-plastic-bags--powell.html Queensland has placed business costs above danger to the environment from the four billion lightweight plastic bags Australians use every year. Environment Minister Andrew Powell, responding to a petition with 530 signatures to ban the bags at retail sale points in Queensland by the end of 2012, said he was aware South Australia and the... Tue, 18 Dec 2012 10:21:32 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fatal-smash-closes-highway-for-18-hours.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fatal-smash-closes-highway-for-18-hours.html Two men died when a petrol tanker and a ute collided head on at 1.15am Saturday at the intersection of the Princes Highway and Jaspers Brush Road. The ute driver, 22-year-old Ulladulla man, Corey Gavin, died at the scene, while the truck driver, 59-year-old Bradbury man, Kevin Schey, was rushed to St Georges Hospital where he later... Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:37:13 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fair-work-amendment-act-2012-receives-royal-assent.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fair-work-amendment-act-2012-receives-royal-assent.html ACAPMA members and the industry are advised that the Fair Work Amendment Act 2012 received Royal Assent on 4 December 2012. The following is a précis of what is involved : Several of the changes will come into effect on 1 January 2013. Fair Work Australia has been renamed the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) and there are also... Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:34:45 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-scammed.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-scammed.html A man posing as a tobacco company employee has scammed cartons of cigarettes worth more than $30,000 from supermarkets in Victoria and South Australia. The man tells supermarket staff he is there to remove discontinued stock due to the introduction of mandatory plain packaging on tobacco products and says he will be back with new stock -... Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:59:24 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-shortage-highlights--vulnerability-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-shortage-highlights--vulnerability-.html The transport industry says South Australia has come through a diesel shortage relatively unscathed but some supply problems continue. A production shutdown in Victoria has caused the shortage. Steve Shearer from the state's road transport association says a new diesel shipment at Outer Harbor should ease problems. However,... Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:50:37 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/metcash-rebranding-aimed-at-costco.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/metcash-rebranding-aimed-at-costco.html Grocery wholesaler Metcash has launched a big-box retail chain in competition with US bulk discounter Costco, rebranding its ailing Campbells chain as Value Depot. The new chain will feature fresh food and a wider range of general merchandise, including televisions, in a clear challenge to Costco which features high-end electronics. ... Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:35:04 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/three-men-armed-with-knives-threaten-staff-during-robbery-at-a-west-gosford-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/three-men-armed-with-knives-threaten-staff-during-robbery-at-a-west-gosford-petrol-station.html Police are appealing for witnesses after three men armed with large knives threatened employees before robbing a service station at West Gosford. The three men entered the service station about 2.30am this morning and threatened two employees with large knives before fleeing in a small sedan with cash and cigarettes. The men were wearing... Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:29:12 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-1000-reward-for-information-on-petrol-drive-off.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-1000-reward-for-information-on-petrol-drive-off.html A Bundaberg petrol station owner has offered a $1000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest regarding two drive-offs that occurred in the past seven days. Wessel Petroleum managing director Paul Wessel owns three petrol stations in Bundaberg and said he was angry with the blatant drive-offs on two of his premises. ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:32:36 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-price-rise-behind-jump-in-fraud.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-price-rise-behind-jump-in-fraud.html An increase in fraud and retail theft has been recorded in Canterbury-Bankstown over the past two years, the latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research figures show. Fraud rose by 20 per cent across the region, and by 9.4 per cent statewide. Bureau director Don Weatherburn said the spike was a reflection of the higher cost of... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:51:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/opec-holds-oil-output-steady.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/opec-holds-oil-output-steady.html OPEC has maintained its oil output ceiling but had to reappoint Secretary-General, Abdullah El-Badri, to lead the cartel for another year after members failed to agree on a new leader. As expected by markets, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) kept its oil production ceiling at 30 million barrels per day (mbd), with... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:33:35 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coca-cola-fizzles-with-soft-spending.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coca-cola-fizzles-with-soft-spending.html Coca-cola Amatil shares slumped after the company said soft consumer spending, and competitive discounting, is affecting sales growth of its beverages. CCA chief executive Terry Davis said the trading environment in its core Australian business ''remains challenging'' although it had improved momentum in the lead-up to... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:30:53 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/u-s--food-and-beverage-trends-to-watch-in-2013.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/u-s--food-and-beverage-trends-to-watch-in-2013.html GLENDALE, Calif. -- Consumers can expect a variety of domestic food and beverage trends in the coming year, according to Glendale, Calif.-based Nestlé USA, which recently issued predictions for 2013. "It's clear to us that consumers are much more health conscious today than ever before," noted Paul Grimwood, chairman... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:28:19 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stickers-to-cover-plain-cigarettes-packaging-go-on-sale.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stickers-to-cover-plain-cigarettes-packaging-go-on-sale.html The federal government has launched an investigation into a company selling stickers for smokers to cover the controversial plain packaging for cigarette packets. Gold Coast company Box Wraps will today unveil a range of stickers specifically designed to cover the olive green plain packaging that cigarettes must by law carry, The Gold... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:51:44 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pay-rates-during-festive-season-and-australia-day.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pay-rates-during-festive-season-and-australia-day.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) would like to remind all businesses with the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry of the pay rates for employees working over the festive season as well as on Australia Day 2013. Christmas Day, Boxing Day (Proclamation Day in South Australia) and... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:48:43 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-trading-review-overdue.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-trading-review-overdue.html Queensland has long been considered something of a maverick within the wider Australian federation of states. Years after the tick gates at the Tweed border were taken away and dismantled, and the state's own censorship board disbanded, we still manage to bemuse others with our sometimes peculiar parochial foibles. We still, for... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:50:42 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truckies-taken-off-the-road-after-failing-drug-test.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truckies-taken-off-the-road-after-failing-drug-test.html Police in New South Wales temporarily suspended 20 truck drivers from driving after they tested positive to drug use at the weekend. Officers tested 620 drivers at the Marulan heavy vehicle inspection station near Goulburn on December 8 and 9, with 20 (3.22 percent) returning a positive result. No driver was detected with alcohol in their... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:46:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/no-action-on-duopoly.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/no-action-on-duopoly.html Nobody, it seems, is going to do much to rein in the power of Australia's supermarket duopoly. The greatest priority of governments looks set to remain the consumer and the deal they get. The margins made back along the supply chain do not gather much political interest, despite a slowly building recognition of the need for... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:44:50 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/theft-set-to-rise.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/theft-set-to-rise.html Retailers around the world are expected to lose tens of billions over Christmas as a result of shoplifting, dishonest employees. and vendor or distribution losses, according to a new study by the Centre for Retail Research. The report, funded by Checkpoint Systems, suggests that the losses incurred by the retail industry over this period... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:40:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/raa-expects-fuel-supply-to-improve.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/raa-expects-fuel-supply-to-improve.html The RAA says no single town in South Australia's south-east, Riverland or Mallee is without diesel. Recent storms disrupted the production of diesel fuel at Shell's Geelong refinery, leading to shortages. One fuel station at Penola had to ration supplies for emergency services and other essential uses over the weekend. A... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:23:10 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/doonside--man-arrested-after-fake-bomb-scare.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/doonside--man-arrested-after-fake-bomb-scare.html A man was arrested after allegedly entering a supermarket and a petrol station with a fake bomb on Sunday at 4pm. The device was a drink can wrapped in AA batteries with a clock timer attached with sticky tape. The petrol station was evacuated and closed briefly before police detained the man and transported him to Blacktown Hospital... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:58:22 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/card-thefts-down-millions.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/card-thefts-down-millions.html Fraud involving Australian credit cards, debit cards and cheques reached $285 million in the 12 months to June, down from a peak of $302 million in the 12 months to last December. The latest figures include an estimated $30 million taken over two years by a Romanian crime ring that was only recently exposed. That syndicate had access to... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:53:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/days-numbered-for-confusing-petrol-prices.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/days-numbered-for-confusing-petrol-prices.html The days of confusing price boards at petrol stations may be nearing an end. "Consumers are being sucked in by fuel price boards that prominently display the prices of the most discounted fuel type," federal Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury said on Friday. "Once they drive into the service station, only then do they... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:12:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/time-to-comment-on-fuel-price-boards.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/time-to-comment-on-fuel-price-boards.html Petroleum distributors and petrol convenience retailers are being invited to provide feedback to the public consultation that aims to explore a consistent national approach to the display of information on fuel price boards. Consumer Affairs have released the consultation document in an effort to address concerns raised by consumers... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:39:41 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rsrt-limits-scope-to-five-sectors.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rsrt-limits-scope-to-five-sectors.html Damaging claims levelled at retailers over the way they treat the trucking industry will be put to the test, with the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal declaring the sector will be the first to be investigated next year. The RSRT’s annual work program, released today, puts retail at the top of a list of five sectors to be scrutinised.... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 09:22:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ar-fuels--biodiesel-plant-at-largs-north-in-sa-recommissioned-after-fire-on-christmas-eve-last-year.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ar-fuels--biodiesel-plant-at-largs-north-in-sa-recommissioned-after-fire-on-christmas-eve-last-year.html Australia's largest biodiesel producer Australian Renewable Fuels (AR Fuels) has recommissioned its Largs North processing and storage facility, which was destroyed by a major fire on Christmas Eve last year. The plant, rebuilt at a cost of $6.5 million, now includes a fuel-blending facility on site and employs about 12 staff. The... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 09:06:22 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-crisis-over-after-refinery-boosts-production.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-crisis-over-after-refinery-boosts-production.html Oil company Shell says it is increasing the production of diesel at its Geelong refinery after equipment failure contributed to fuel shortages across Victoria. Diesel supplies have run out at some service stations, while other areas are facing fuel rationing. The shortage was caused by a combination of storms and equipment... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:52:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-owners-the-biggest-losers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-owners-the-biggest-losers.html The average retail price for petrol may have increased by around 11 cents per litre during the last financial year. However, the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA), the peak body representing Australian fuel wholesale distributors as well as over 3,000 service stations, says that little of this has made it... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:13:54 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-being--ideological--over-store-approvals--accc.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-being--ideological--over-store-approvals--accc.html Competition tsar Rod Sims has accused supermarket giant Woolworths of being “ideological” in its fierce battle with the regulator over new stores approvals and so-called creeping acquisitions. Woolworths withdrew last week from six months of talks with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission after disagreeing with... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 09:42:51 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-employee-barricaded-himself-in-back-room-during-robbery-at-inala.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-employee-barricaded-himself-in-back-room-during-robbery-at-inala.html A male attendant barricaded himself in the back room of a service station while it was being robbed in Inala overnight. Two men, described as being around 18 to 20 years old and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in appearance, entered the Rosemary Street store about 11.30pm. Police said they produced a knife before fleeing the... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 09:20:42 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-supply-at-the-ready-for-emergency-services.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-supply-at-the-ready-for-emergency-services.html Emergency services have been offered quarantined fuel to ensure police, paramedics and firefighters can operate in Victoria despite a diesel shortage. Production problems last week halved the state's supply of diesel. Many service stations sold out and stocks at others throughout the state were severely depleted. So priority... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 09:00:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/searing-heat-takes-toll-on-fuel-bowsers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/searing-heat-takes-toll-on-fuel-bowsers.html The heatwave across Mount Isa in the past weeks has started to affect fuel bowsers. The Mount Isa Shell truck port has experienced problems with gasoline, and petrol, equipment becoming too hot for use in the past week as temperatures have soared beyond 40 degrees. Shell spokesperson Paul Zennaro said the Barkly Highway truck port... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 08:56:11 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victorian-storms-disrupt-diesel-supply.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victorian-storms-disrupt-diesel-supply.html Victorian motorists may feel the pinch this Christmas with storms disrupting diesel supply from refineries, say fuel distributors. Recent storms in Melbourne caused local refineries to shut down production, and reopened facilities are still not at full capacity, says Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA)... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:11:10 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-australia-introduces-receipts-app-in-time-for-holidays.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-australia-introduces-receipts-app-in-time-for-holidays.html With Christmas Day only two weeks away, all the hype that goes with the season, including retailer selling and shopping, are expected to go all the more excitedly grueling in the coming days. And as Australians try to find that perfect gift either for oneself or to give away, they may no longer be conscious anymore of whether the items they... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:55:36 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-prices-driven-by-overseas-trends.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-prices-driven-by-overseas-trends.html High domestic petrol prices are being influenced by international trends rather than price gouging by local fuel retailers, the competition watchdog says. In its 2011/12 annual report on domestic prices, costs and profits of unleaded petrol, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said consumers were to some extent... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:48:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-day-switch-worth--150.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-day-switch-worth--150.html Perth motorists could save themselves $150 a year simply by changing the day they buy their petrol. A breakdown of the city’s petrol-buying habits by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has revealed Perth’s petrol cycle over the past year has been as regular as clockwork. Wednesday is the cheapest day of... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:45:30 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drink-thief-caught-red-handed---no-bull.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drink-thief-caught-red-handed---no-bull.html Two men were issued $300 fines by police after they stole a tray of Red Bull energy drinks from a Lismore service station in the early hours of this morning. Police allege at about 1.10am the two men, aged 18 and 23, entered the rear of the Woodlark Street service station and picked up a tray of 24 cans and left without paying for... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:42:06 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-stealing-fuels-sydney-fraud-increase.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-stealing-fuels-sydney-fraud-increase.html Fraud in Sydney's inner suburbs has increased by almost 23 per cent in two years, with petrol stations, supermarkets and chemists suffering most. Service station drive-offs were the major reason for the increase in fraud, followed by credit card fraud in shops. The latest quarterly NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:38:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/local-retailers-stick-with-bricks-and-mortar-stores-despite-online-retail-push.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/local-retailers-stick-with-bricks-and-mortar-stores-despite-online-retail-push.html This Sunday is being tipped as the busiest online shopping day of the year, with millions of Australians expected to click through their Christmas shopping lists. eBay expects to sell 300,000 items on Sunday, 17 per cent more than last year, and Australia Post will deliver 500,000 more parcels across the country next week due to... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:48:40 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-gets-the-green-light.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-gets-the-green-light.html A development application to open the bulky goods retailer, Costco, at The Crossroads has been unanimously approved by Liverpool Council. Councillors moved to submit a draft amendment of the Liverpool Local Environment Plan (2008) to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure to finalise the approval of a 14,000 square metre... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:40:25 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/would-you-like-biodiesel-with-that--mcdonald-s-vic-green-fuel-drive.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/would-you-like-biodiesel-with-that--mcdonald-s-vic-green-fuel-drive.html Next time you order a Big Mac Meal from a Victorian McDonald’s outlet, you can assuage some of the guilt you might feel afterwards with the knowledge that the oil used to cook your fries will be going to a good green cause, with McDonald’s Australia revealing plans to recycle its used vegetable oil into biodiesel to run its... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:32:44 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-tesco-says-ready-to-exit-us.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-tesco-says-ready-to-exit-us.html LONDON (AFP) - Britain's biggest retailer, supermarket Tesco, looked on course to withdraw from its struggling US business Fresh & Easy as chief executive Philip Clarke on Wednesday said its presence would likely end. "It's likely, but not certain, that our presence in America will come to an end," Clarke told... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:25:52 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/no-relief-in-sight-for-small-business.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/no-relief-in-sight-for-small-business.html The market power of the major banks is so dominant that they can ignore any reduction in interest rates the Reserve Bank of Australia delivers, making any such move irrelevant to the management of the economy. It is the elephant in the room but small business has been screaming about the loss of activity on the high street while big... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:22:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/toyota-plan-to-make-hydrogen-cars-in-melbourne--creating-hundreds-of-jobs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/toyota-plan-to-make-hydrogen-cars-in-melbourne--creating-hundreds-of-jobs.html Toyota wants to make hydrogen cars in Melbourne fuelled by brown coal from the Latrobe Valley in a move that could save the struggling local car industry. The hi-tech switch would also require a new hydrogen-capturing plant to be built in Gippsland, providing hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars worth of investment for the region,... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:16:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/anti-sniff-fuel-for-gulf.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/anti-sniff-fuel-for-gulf.html The Gulf of Carpentaria will be one of the first areas to to utilise anti-sniffing fuel. Shell Australia announced yesterday it would start producing and distributing low aromatic petrol across northern Australia from next year. The anti-sniffing petrol, to be named Shell Unleaded 91 Low Aromatic, is part of the government's... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:09:05 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-geelong-diesel-leak-contained.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-geelong-diesel-leak-contained.html Fire crews are at the scene of a diesel leak at Shell's refinery in Geelong. The Country Fire Authority (CFA) says a significant amount of diesel began leaking about 2:30am (AEDT) but the leak is now contained on the site and is not posing a threat to the community. Five fire trucks are on hand as a precaution. Extracted in... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:50:09 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australia-needs-to-increase-supply-competition.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australia-needs-to-increase-supply-competition.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA), which represents petroleum distributors and petrol convenience retailers, says that the recent announcements by Shell and Caltex to close their refineries means that Australia needs to adopt a structure more like the current Australasian region’s wholesale fuel... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:46:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-hours-plan-goes-too-far--business.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-hours-plan-goes-too-far--business.html Managers would be forced to consider requests from employees for family-friendly working hours and if they refused could be taken to the industrial relations commission, under a plan to be put forward by the ACTU. Unions will on Wednesday begin pushing the Gillard government to make changes to workplace laws, to extend to everyone rights... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:12:48 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-launches-webinar-series.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-launches-webinar-series.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) have launched the first of their webinar series for the industry, kicking off with a session on tobacco plain packaging. This morning, participants from businesses within the petroleum and convenience industry joined into the hour long free webinar which ran... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:26:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robbery-and-serious-crime--no-joke.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robbery-and-serious-crime--no-joke.html The New South Wales Robbery and Serious Crime Squad Advisory Council has again been provided with an operational update as well as discussing the trends occurring in serious crime. Chaired by the NSW Police this council includes representatives from the Hotels, Clubs, Banking and Security industries, as well as the Australasian Convenience... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 10:34:36 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/refiners-blame-wages-for-blow-outs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/refiners-blame-wages-for-blow-outs.html Labour costs in Australia's oil refineries are higher than in the US and Europe, with "very high" wage inflation adding to a blow-out in the cost of doing business and putting pressure on the viability of the nation's remaining refineries. Refineries have rounded on the increasing costs, telling an inquiry ordered by... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:40:55 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/refinery-problems-lead-to-diesel-rationing.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/refinery-problems-lead-to-diesel-rationing.html Fuel distributors say Victorian motorists may experience diesel shortages for the next few weeks, due to problems at local refineries. Storms in Melbourne last week caused refineries to shut down production and they are still not back to full capacity. Nic Moulis, of the Australasian Convenience and Petrol Marketers Association, says... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:34:37 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-vacuum-filling-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-vacuum-filling-up.html Petrol giant BP has plans to build a service station in Henley Brook in 2013, just three kilometres from the only outlet in Ellenbrook. To be located at the corner of Gnangara Road and Henley Brook Avenue, the proposed petrol station will create healthy competition for the Caltex-Woolworths service station in Ellenbrook. BP Australia... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:16:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/novelty-happy-hour-petrol-discount-at-on-the-run-pumps.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/novelty-happy-hour-petrol-discount-at-on-the-run-pumps.html South Australian petrol retailer On The Run is offering an Australian-first petrol "happy hour", taking 5c per litre off the pump price. On The Run stores will offer its new fuel discount between 4pm and 6pm each weekday until next Friday, December 14. A different store will be selected each day to offer the discount. ... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:09:26 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-1m-cheap-fuel-scam-arrest.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-1m-cheap-fuel-scam-arrest.html A 54-year-old man has been arrested at a cut-price Blacktown petrol station and charged with his role in $1 million cheap fuel scam. It is alleged he received almost $1 million worth of petrol for just 50c a litre from crooked tanker drivers who worked for trucking company Scott’s Transport. The man was arrested this morning at... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:56:10 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/low-aromatic-fuel-bill-passed-by-senate.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/low-aromatic-fuel-bill-passed-by-senate.html On Wednesday night, 29 November 2012, the Green’s Low Aromatic Fuel Bill (the Bill) was passed by the Senate. The bill makes it mandatory for retail sites located in areas of the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, where petrol sniffing is major issue, to sell Opal fuel. Nic Moulis, CEO of the... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:12:37 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-website-helps-employees-return-to-work.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-website-helps-employees-return-to-work.html A new website, returntowork.net.au, has been launched to help employees returning to work after an absence due to depression, anxiety or other mental health disorders. It also aims to assist employers with the right tools to manage employees returning to work after time off due to mental health issues. Funded by beyondblue, under the... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 13:34:04 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/minister-backs-sector-peak-body.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/minister-backs-sector-peak-body.html The federal Small Business Minister, Brendan O’Connor, has come out in defence of the Council of Small Business Australia amid accusations that the council, which claims to be “the peak body exclusively representing the interests of small business”, is unduly influenced by big tobacco. In The Sydney Morning Herald... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:00:58 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-ramps-up-enforcement.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-ramps-up-enforcement.html The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission plans a dramatic acceleration of enforcement action against large companies as it targets cartels, misuse of market power and business contracts that lessen competition. ACCC chairman Rod Sims warned that, after bringing just two competition law cases this year, 45 investigations were... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:58:12 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rosella-jobs-on-the-line.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rosella-jobs-on-the-line.html About 275 jobs are on the line after owners of Australia's 100-year-old tomato sauce brand Rosella was placed in receivership on Monday, owing millions to the National Australia Bank. Fairfax understands Gourmet Food Holdings, which employs 140 people at its factory in Dandenong and 110 in NSW, could owe NAB as much as $50... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:55:34 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bread--papers-up--fruit--fuel-down---inflation-gauge-slips-0-1-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bread--papers-up--fruit--fuel-down---inflation-gauge-slips-0-1-.html These polls are not scientific and reflect the opinion only of visitors who have chosen to participate. A private gauge of inflation has eased, while measures of core inflation stayed benign, an outcome that is unlikely to stand in the way of any interest rate cut this week. The TD Securities-Melbourne Institute's measure of... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:16:31 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbers-escape-with-cash-from-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbers-escape-with-cash-from-service-station.html Two men armed with guns robbed the Kirra Sports Club early Sunday morning. About 4.15am the men entered the Appel St club and forced two males, one 18 the other 28, to lie on the ground. The thieves stole cash before escaping on foot.Police from both sides of the border were at a Kennedy Dr BP petrol station yesterday morning... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:10:04 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/electric-cars-make-more-emissions-unless-green-powered.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/electric-cars-make-more-emissions-unless-green-powered.html Victorian motorists who switch to an electric car can expect to produce less than half the greenhouse gas emissions than they would if driving a petrol-powered car - but only if they run it on 100 per cent green power, government research has found. If they don't they will generate more emissions. A new electric car run on renewable... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:00:44 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-to-help-combat-petrol-sniffing.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-to-help-combat-petrol-sniffing.html Shell will join the fight against petrol sniffing in remote Aboriginal communities after agreeing to sell non-sniffable Opal fuel for the first time. Minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon announced on Monday Shell would join BP in producing and supplying the fuel in remote Australia. BP will continue supplying the fuel in... Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:54:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/epa-s-temporary-suspension-does-not-affect-bp-s-existing-contracts-with-us-government.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/epa-s-temporary-suspension-does-not-affect-bp-s-existing-contracts-with-us-government.html Today’s announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding BP’s temporary suspension relates only to future potential contracts with the US government. The temporary suspension does not affect any existing contracts the company has with the US government, including those relating to current and ongoing drilling... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:48:59 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-gas-station-of-the-future-just-opened.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-gas-station-of-the-future-just-opened.html Matt Horton wants to solve a problem that makes alternative-fuel vehicles unappealing to would-be buyers: lack of convenient places to refuel. Last month, the chief executive officer of Propel Fuels opened the country’s first station where drivers can pump gasoline, ethanol, and biodiesel, cyclists can get tune-ups, and commuters can... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:44:08 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/syringe-used-to-rob-convenience-store-at-sunnybank-hills--brisbane.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/syringe-used-to-rob-convenience-store-at-sunnybank-hills--brisbane.html A man allegedly used a syringe to rob a convenience store in Brisbane on Saturday night. About 10.15pm a man allegedly showed a syringe to the man working in the store on Gowan Rd at Sunnybank Hills and demanded money. After the employee handed over cash, the man fled the store, running north on Gowan Rd. The man was described to... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aussies-tipped-to-spend--32bn-this-xmas.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aussies-tipped-to-spend--32bn-this-xmas.html Australians will spend around $32 billion this Christmas, forking out on average more than $1200 per person, according to the latest retail forecasts. The projected increase is a Christmas bonus for the retail sector which has seen "more Grinch than Santa" over recent festive periods, Australian National Retailers Association... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shops-of-the-future.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shops-of-the-future.html Imagine walking into a shop where you did not need your wallet, there was exemplary customer service and the retailers had already been alerted that you were nearby via their customised database. In 2020, this is likely to become a reality as shops become cashless, huge amounts of data track consumer trends and "pop-up" concept... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/grocery-store-closures-drive-down-metcash-shares.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/grocery-store-closures-drive-down-metcash-shares.html Metcash shares slumped on Friday after the grocery wholesaler said continuing price deflation - and the closure of more Franklins stores than expected - led to an earnings downgrade. As many as 32 Franklins stores may close, double the original estimate, with Metcash blaming delays in its acquisition of the business caused by the... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-tis-the-season-to-be-online.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-tis-the-season-to-be-online.html It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but not one Bing Crosby would easily recognise when he crooned that famous carol. That was 60 years ago, when shoppers were delighted by wooden toys in shop windows, candy canes and silver lanes aglow with simple department store decorations. Today, in Australia and across the big... Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/plain-packaging-leaves-bad-taste-in-smokers--mouths.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/plain-packaging-leaves-bad-taste-in-smokers--mouths.html Not only do they look plain but smokers are complaining that cigarettes taste worse now they are in the green packaging that becomes mandatory from tomorrow. Advice group Quitline and Facebook fan sites have been inundated with comments saying their smokes taste "pathetic", "sickening" and lack flavour now they come... Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-charged-over-armed-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/two-charged-over-armed-robbery.html Police have charged two people over an armed robbery on a Sale petrol station Saturday morning. The United Petroleum service station on the corner of the Sale-Maffra Rd and Princes Highway was held up between 3am and 4amSaturday morning. Police have arrested a 24-year-old Sale woman and a 36-year-old Sunshine man in relation to the... Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-tobacco-accused-of-new-smokescreen.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-tobacco-accused-of-new-smokescreen.html Tobacco companies have been smacked down for the second time over their lack of compliance with new plain-packaging rules just days before the law takes effect. Health Minister Tanya Plibersek is demanding two industry giants - Imperial Tobacco and British American Tobacco (BAT) - remove ringed watermarking from their cigarette paper... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/online-shopping-in-aust-growing-rapidly.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/online-shopping-in-aust-growing-rapidly.html Online retail shopping in Australia is growing at an accelerated rate, and its local businesses that are reaping the benefits most. The National Australia Bank's Online Retail Sales Index shows that online sales grew 26 per cent year-on-year to October, compared to 14 per cent year-on-year in May. NAB chief economist Alan Oster... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-2012-worst-customer-service-awards.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-2012-worst-customer-service-awards.html Drum roll, please … Welcome to The Venture’s 2012 Worst Customer Service Awards, the annual showcase of Australian companies that wasted your time and money with appalling service. Now in their fourth year, the Worst Customer Service Awards have received hundreds of comments from angry consumers who eagerly named and shamed... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-integrity-concerns-lead-to-us-work-ban.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-integrity-concerns-lead-to-us-work-ban.html British oil giant BP was banned from winning new US government contracts Wednesday after agreeing to plead guilty to criminal charges in the deadly 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster. The decision was announced hours before two BP supervisors were set to make their first court appearance on manslaughter charges for their failure to... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/foodservice-sales-become-c-stores--most-profitable-category.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/foodservice-sales-become-c-stores--most-profitable-category.html CHICAGO -- Convenience stores have traditionally been known for several key categories: tobacco and gas. But as revenues for those categories continue to slip, foodservice has begun to make a name for itself as a c-store's most profitable category. Convenience store foodservice is an $11-billion industry and the second largest retail... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/logistics-council-backs-fox-s-black-box-crusade.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/logistics-council-backs-fox-s-black-box-crusade.html The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has thrown its support behind Lindsay Fox’s push to have black boxes installed in trucks to prevent heavy vehicle crashes and fatalities. The Linfox founder yesterday detailed his campaign to tabloid news program A Current Affair (ACA), saying the devices will improve road safety. Black boxes,... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-renewable-fuels-and-wentworth-to-merge.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-renewable-fuels-and-wentworth-to-merge.html ASX-listed Australian Renewable Fuels and Wentworth Holdings Limited announced that they have entered a proposed merger agreement that will see national biodiesel provider, ARfuels injected with $14 million in capital ARfuels will make an offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Wentworth, backed by a unanimous recommendation by the... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/senate-passes-greens--opal-fuel-bill.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/senate-passes-greens--opal-fuel-bill.html The Senate has passed the Greens' Low Aromatic Fuel Bill last night, which will make mandatory what has been a voluntary Opal Fuel roll out in parts of the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland. Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert says the Bill was a crucial development in curbing the harm caused by... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-smash-global-gang-behind-500-000-aussie-credit-card-thefts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-smash-global-gang-behind-500-000-aussie-credit-card-thefts.html Police have busted an international organised crime gang which allegedly committed the biggest theft of credit card data in Australia's history. Computer hackers from a Romanian syndicate got access to 100 small retail outlets where the credit card details of up to 500,000 Australians were stored. Investigators have not been able... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/consumers--falling-in-love--with-brands--australian-study-says.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/consumers--falling-in-love--with-brands--australian-study-says.html New research claims one in four Australian consumers feel emotions close to love when considering which brand to buy. And they'll buy a lot more if they do fall in love with a particular product. A joint study by the University of Wollongong and Murdoch University in Western Australia delved into the feelings of more than 1000... Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-robs-man-at-petrol-bowser.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-robs-man-at-petrol-bowser.html Police are investigating if a ute involved in a robbery in Padbury this morning has crashed in the northern suburbs. A woman in her 20s fled the BP service station on Warbuton Avenue after holding up a customer at knifepoint just after 7am. The woman stole the man's wallet before jumping in the ute and speeding away. Police... Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-office-hours-during-festive-season.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-office-hours-during-festive-season.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) would like to inform members and the industry that their office will be closed during the festive period. The ACAPMA office will be closing on Friday 21st December 2012 at 5.00pm AEST and will be reopening on Monday 7th January 2013 at 8.30am AEST. During this... Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailers-jump-on-us-online-bandwagon.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailers-jump-on-us-online-bandwagon.html While Cyber Monday can be seen as a banner for consumers to shop, it's not the only day to snag holiday deals. Australian retailers jumped on the US Cyber Monday bandwagon by launching parallel online sales on Monday night, as Black Friday's internet retail trade topped $US1 billion for the first time, US data showed. Just... Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-thanks-victim-for-his-cooperation.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-thanks-victim-for-his-cooperation.html A robber armed with scissors thanked a console operator for his co-operation as he fled the Yaamba Rd Caltex Service Station in Rockhampton on Sunday. Shaun Tetau, 17, appeared in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court this morning after he and a 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were charged in relation to the offence. ... Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-hold-up-at-fuel-outlet.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-hold-up-at-fuel-outlet.html Police are seeking witnesses to an armed robbery at the United Petroleum service station on the corner of the Sale-Maffra Rd and Princes Highway on Saturday morning. Two offenders entered the store at 3.45am on Saturday with their faces obscured by scarves and hats, the man armed with a double barrel shotgun and the woman carrying a... Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nothing-done--to-help-remote-petrol-sniffers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nothing-done--to-help-remote-petrol-sniffers.html A remote community struggling to rid itself of petrol sniffing has received no extra help from the Gillard government four months after its plight became public. Youth workers who have been attending to a group of about 10 petrol sniffers in the Northern Territory community of Alpurrurulam, near the Queensland border, said existing... Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/battery-explosion-safety-alert.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/battery-explosion-safety-alert.html WorkSafe Victoria have issued a safety alert on preventing battery explosions following a number of recent incidents involving automotive starter batteries fitted to back-up diesel engine systems. Investigations by WorkSafe have indicated that the explosions occurred several months after installation of the batteries and were not related... Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-rejects-earnings-downgrade-threat.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-rejects-earnings-downgrade-threat.html Woolworths Ltd has brushed off suggestions it is relying on price cuts from suppliers to prop up earnings, after a Merrill Lynch report warned the supermarket giant risked an earnings downgrades if manufacturers exhausted their ability to cut prices, The Australian reports. According to the newspaper, Merrill Lynch analyst David... Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/push-for-freer-trading-hours.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/push-for-freer-trading-hours.html The State Government is facing renewed pressure from industry groups to further deregulate trading hours after figures showed 80 per cent of retailers were opening their doors for Sunday trading. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA and the WA Property Council signalled yesterday they would continue the push to give retailers and... Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-hungry-pie-thief-on-gold-coast.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-hungry-pie-thief-on-gold-coast.html Who ate all the pies? That's the question police are asking after a well dressed, hungry thief robbed the same Gold Coast service station three times on Wednesday morning. The thief, dressed in a black suit, made off with a solitary pie around 2.30am (AEST) in his first visit to the Pacific Pines service station before returning... Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-sees-strong-backing-for-b20.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shell-sees-strong-backing-for-b20.html A majority of Shell customers asked would consider using Biodiesel 20 (B20) in their fleets for either taxation or environmental reasons, the energy firm revealed at the opening of its new biodiesel facility at its Parramatta Terminal. Shell Vice-President Downstream Andrew Smith (pictured) says the recent launch of B20 in the Australian... Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-strips-naked-during-hold-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-strips-naked-during-hold-up.html A man who stripped naked while attempting to rob a service station in Canberra's south has been sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court. Samuel William Howard, 22, was drunk, stoned and had run out of money when he decided to rob the Erindale petrol station in February 2010. Armed with a broken beer bottle, he joined a queue of... Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-backs-greens-to-tackle-petrol-sniffing.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-backs-greens-to-tackle-petrol-sniffing.html The Federal Government will get the power to force petrol stations to sell non-sniffable Opal fuel after Labor announced it would support a Greens bill aimed at tackling the scourge of petrol sniffing. In September, a Labor-dominated Senate committee recommended the bill not proceed, citing a range of issues including a concern that some... Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/federal-budget-revenue-lost-because-of-petrol-tax-freeze-hits--25-billion.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/federal-budget-revenue-lost-because-of-petrol-tax-freeze-hits--25-billion.html John Howard's decision to freeze petrol tax in 2001 has cost the federal budget $25 billion over the past 11 years. And it will cost a further $23 billion over the next four years - enough to help pay for the national disability insurance scheme. Figures provided to the Herald Sun by Deloitte Access Economics partner Chris... Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bandit-uses-wine-bottle-to-threaten-store-staff-and-steal-pies.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bandit-uses-wine-bottle-to-threaten-store-staff-and-steal-pies.html Pies were stolen from a Gold Coast store early this morning after a shopkeeper was threatened with a broken bottle. The hungry bandit first entered the Pacific Pines combined service station and convenience store about 2.30am, collecting several items from the store before stealing just one pie. He returned to the Binstead Way... Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/girls-get-behind-a-great-cause.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/girls-get-behind-a-great-cause.html The girls in mos were in full swing yesterday at Kelso’s Woolworths petrol station, as the month of Movember rolls on. Console operator, Patricia Marassionis, along with Simone Sutherland, Cherie Russo, Damien Pick, Fay Williams and Jessica Brouff, yesterday donned fake mos and held a special Movember driveway service to raise... Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-thieves-risk-jail-time.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-thieves-risk-jail-time.html Police say thieves running the gauntlet by not paying for petrol could face possible jail time if caught. Petrol stations around Mount Isa have reported numerous incidents where people have filled up their cars with petrol and then driven off. Mount Isa Police Acting Senior Sergeant Shaun English said that while he didn't have... Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gs-group-to-present-to-study-tour-delegates.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gs-group-to-present-to-study-tour-delegates.html Korea’s sixth largest corporation the GS Group, operators of GS Retail, GS25 and GS Caltex among other businesses, will be hosting delegates during the ACAPMA International Study Tour to South Korea and Japan, which takes place from 15 to 21 April 2013. ACAPMA has been in discussions with Mr J K Kim, Vice President Business... Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tackle-safety-crisis-in-trucking-with-national-inquiry-on-retail-supply-chains.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tackle-safety-crisis-in-trucking-with-national-inquiry-on-retail-supply-chains.html The government’s Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal can best address the continuing safety crisis in trucking, which has claimed the lives of six people in the past week alone, by focusing on the retail sector and by conducting a travelling inquiry across the country to get a thorough understanding of the scale of the problem. The... Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/skype-launches-prepaid-cards-in-australia---new-zealand.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/skype-launches-prepaid-cards-in-australia---new-zealand.html Skype today announced the launch of Skype Prepaid Cards in Australia and New Zealand, providing users across the region with a new way to access Skype's low rates on calls to family members and friends anywhere in the world and with Skype Premium services which include Group Video Calling. Skype Prepaid Cards are available now at... Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/frenzy-s-virtual-doors-fail-to-open.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/frenzy-s-virtual-doors-fail-to-open.html Organisers were calling it ''the sale that stops the nation'' but when Click Frenzy's virtual doors failed to open on Tuesday night, more than one observer noted it was the nation that stopped the sale. Either that or a simple lack of bandwidth. Just when local retailers thought things couldn't get worse, the... Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vehicle-exhaust-compliance-date-changed.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vehicle-exhaust-compliance-date-changed.html The Australian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) would like to remind bulk fuel fleet operators in Australia of the change in deadline for vehicle exhaust compliance from 1 January 2013 to 1 April 2013. The Safe Load Program (SLP) announced the date change following a number of bulk fuel fleet operators informing... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/public-holidays-during-december-2012-and-january-2013.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/public-holidays-during-december-2012-and-january-2013.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) would like to remind businesses in the petroleum and convenience industry about the upcoming public holidays during December 2012 and January 2013. Christmas Day - Tuesday, 25 December 2012 - all states and territories. Boxing Day/Proclamation Day (SA) -... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tahmoor-s-marina-service-station-puts-wollondilly-on-the-map-for-customer-service.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tahmoor-s-marina-service-station-puts-wollondilly-on-the-map-for-customer-service.html John and Yolla Abraham (centre) and their staff pride themselves of delivering top-notch customer service and have just launched driveway service at their Tahmoor petrol station. Pull up at the Marina Service Station and you feel as if you have stepped back to a time of good, old-fashioned driveway service. Marina Service Station... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-sniffing-outbreak-hits-tennant-creek.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-sniffing-outbreak-hits-tennant-creek.html The Central Australian Youth Link Up Service says there has been an outbreak of petrol sniffing in Tennant Creek. Blair McFarland from the organisation says up to 50 people have started sniffing. "There's a whole bunch of petrol sniffers spread out across a whole bunch of communities in the southern Barkly that... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-companies-have-been-accused-of-ripping-off-motorists-and-keeping-profits-high.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-companies-have-been-accused-of-ripping-off-motorists-and-keeping-profits-high.html Petrol companies have been accused of ripping off motorists by failing to pass on the full benefit of international oil price cuts. In a move likened to banks withholding interest rate cuts from mortgage customers, petrol retailers kept profits high for long periods as wholesale prices dipped this year. Motoring groups and experts... Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-york-investigates-gas-stations-for-price-gouging.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-york-investigates-gas-stations-for-price-gouging.html New York -- Gas problems caused by Superstorm Sandy are beginning to ease for motorists in New York City and the surrounding areas, by they are just beginning for several gas station operators. On the positive side, odd-even gas rationing on Long Island will be a thing of the past come midnight. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and... Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tanker-drivers-stole-petrol-and-sold-it-for-50c-a-litre-in--1-million-scam.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tanker-drivers-stole-petrol-and-sold-it-for-50c-a-litre-in--1-million-scam.html Tanker drivers siphoned off petrol destined for Sydney Caltex Woolworths service stations and sold it for 50c a litre to low-cost rival service stations in a $1 million scam. The drivers, with trucking company Scott's Transport, got away with it for over a year by disabling the GPS tracking systems on their tankers, against company... Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/surprise-decline-in-australian-biofuels-as-motorists-focus-on-best-petrol-buying-options.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/surprise-decline-in-australian-biofuels-as-motorists-focus-on-best-petrol-buying-options.html Demand for biofuels in Australia in 2011-12 declined for the first time in many years as local motorists continue to focus on the best available fuel-buying options, according to a new report. The report, Australian Biofuels 2012-13, shows that while demand for petrol and diesel increased significantly across the nation in 2011-12 to 40... Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/algae-based-biodiesel-to-sell-for-the-same-cost-as-regular-diesel.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/algae-based-biodiesel-to-sell-for-the-same-cost-as-regular-diesel.html In the US, service station chain Propel Fuels and Solazyme are bringing algae-derived fuel to retail pumps for what is believed to be the first time in history. The two renewable fuel brands have come together to offer Solazyme’s algae-based SoladieselBD to drivers through parts of Propel’s network of retail renewable fuel... Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-giant-roo-beats-council-restriction.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-giant-roo-beats-council-restriction.html A giant replica of the 1982 Commonwealth Games kangaroo mascot, Matilda, has been erected at Tugun in an audacious bid to see the smiling roo return as an icon when the Gold Coast hosts the 2018 event. The 9m-high fibreglass replica -- complete with curling eyelashes and a wink if you're lucky -- was erected at the Matilda Fuel... Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hastings-point-petrol-station-ram-raided-in-stolen-ute.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hastings-point-petrol-station-ram-raided-in-stolen-ute.html Three men armed with a sledgehammer reversed a ute through a window of a Hastings Point petrol station last night. About 3.10am, once inside the Tweed Coast Rd premises, the men attempted to access the ATM using the sledgehammer. "After unsuccessful attempts to access the machine the men attempted to remove it by reversing the... Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/south-korea-unveils-further-measures-to-ease-retail-fuel-domination-by-refiners.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/south-korea-unveils-further-measures-to-ease-retail-fuel-domination-by-refiners.html The South Korean government began setting up discount fuel stations early this year in a bid to weaken market domination by the country's four refiners. There are currently 785 discount stations across the country, accounting for 6.1% of the domestic fuel market with 12,830 pumps. The government plans to increase this to 10% by 2015 ... Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/platts-launch-biofuel-and-biodiesel-products-to-industry.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/platts-launch-biofuel-and-biodiesel-products-to-industry.html On 1 September 2012, Platts, a leading global energy, petrochemicals and metals information provider, launched three new products- Biofuels Alert, BiofuelScan and Biofuels Market Data - to benefit the industry. The Platts Biofuels Alert is a real-time service providing breaking news and the latest biofuels price assessments for ethanol,... Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/scammers-targeting-small-businesses.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/scammers-targeting-small-businesses.html SCAMwatch is warning business owners to remain vigilant against scammers impersonating government officials with false claims of owed money. A new scam targeting small businesses involves individuals claiming to be from the Australian Treasury, including the Treasury Reclamations Section, and offering to recover overpaid bank fees in... Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-international-study-tour-2013.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-international-study-tour-2013.html In April 2013, the ACAPMA International Study Tour will be travelling to Japan and South Korea to experience and learn more about the petroleum and convenience industry in the region. Following on from the success and feedback of last year’s Study Tour which took delegates to Malaysia and Singapore, ACAPMA have decided to continue... Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-to-host-tobacco-webinar-to-ensure-compliance.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-to-host-tobacco-webinar-to-ensure-compliance.html Businesses selling tobacco products are invited to attend a webinar on plain packaging. The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) will be hosting a tobacco plain packaging webinar for the entire petroleum and convenience industry. By 1 December 2012, the Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 states that... Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/boxing-day-is-part-of-christmas-and-should-not-be-a-retail-free-for-all.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/boxing-day-is-part-of-christmas-and-should-not-be-a-retail-free-for-all.html As our television screens start filling with the sounds of Christmas films, a real-life, modern day version of the classic tale A Christmas Carol is playing out in State Parliament. In the NSW Parliamentary version of this tale the role of Ebenezer Scrooge is played by Premier Barry O’Farrell, with supporting roles played by a host... Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-bandit-slips-on-banana-peel-as-he-flees-convenience-store-hold-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-bandit-slips-on-banana-peel-as-he-flees-convenience-store-hold-up.html A thief almost came unstuck as he fled the scene of an armed robbery last night, slipping on a banana peel as he ran from a Marsden convenience store. The man and an accomplice stormed into the convenience store in Brisbane's South around 10pm, threatening the two attendants with a knife and a hammer. They stole cigarettes. The... Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/discount-vouchers--not-a-good-deal-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/discount-vouchers--not-a-good-deal-.html Just wanting a “fair deal” might be a reasonable request of any small business  owner but it is this expectation that has got Ralph Panebianco into hot water with his customers. As of November 1 Mr Panebianco, who owns and operates the Shell service station on Ferguson Street Glen Innes, is no longer accepting Coles fuel... Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/will-the-fat-tax-work-for-australia-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/will-the-fat-tax-work-for-australia-.html Less than one year after imposing their progressive health tax, the Danish government have scrapped it for being too expensive and taking jobs away. Everything from butter and milk to pizzas, oils, meats and pre-cooked foods were hit with a 16 kroner per kilo of saturated fats in a product. According to a report by the AFP, when the tax... Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-men-carjack-two-vehicles-and-rob-service-station-in-crime-spree-at-belmont-and-sunnybank.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-men-carjack-two-vehicles-and-rob-service-station-in-crime-spree-at-belmont-and-sunnybank.html Armed men robbed a Brisbane service station then cut off two motorists on southside streets and stole their cars at gunpoint in an overnight crime spree. The pair first hit a Belmont service station on London Road, with one man using a gun to threaten the attendant before fleeing in a red Holden Commodore around 11.05pm. Barely an... Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-to-upgrade-fuel-depots-nearly-finished.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-to-upgrade-fuel-depots-nearly-finished.html Work to upgrade fuel stations in north-west Western Australia is nearly completed, after a $6 million investment by fuel company Shell Australia. Earlier this year, Shell apologised to customers after several of its depots in the region ran out of fuel. New diesel tanks in Paraburdoo will be installed in the next month but a pending... Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robbed-again.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robbed-again.html An armed robber has targeted Oz Fuel in Dandenong North, for the second time in a week. The Star last week reported that a man had brandished a knife and threatened to kill an attendant at the Stud Road petrol station about 11.55pm on 25 October. He fled on foot with a small amount of money. On 2 November about 3.55am a man, described as... Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/2012-energy-white-paper-released.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/2012-energy-white-paper-released.html The Australian Government today released the centrepiece of Australia’s future energy policy, the Energy White Paper - Australia’s Energy Transformation. The 2012 Energy White Paper sets out the Australian Government's strategic policy framework to guide Australia’s energy transformation to a cleaner and more... Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-player-joins-fuel-price-war.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-player-joins-fuel-price-war.html With several years' experience in a major petroleum refinery, Mohit Sharma has the potential to become a local champion of the people in a war on fuel prices. He has even put his own wedding on hold to do it. He recently became the owner of the Morisset Metro Petrol station, at Morisset Park, and is already planning his assault... Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/consumers-support-tougher-food-laws.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/consumers-support-tougher-food-laws.html Australians support a tax on unhealthy foods and many want a total ban on junk-food advertising, research has found - the same measures the food industry has claimed would be too unpopular to succeed. More than two-thirds of the 1500 primary grocery buyers surveyed were in favour of a tax, while traffic-light labelling on all packaged... Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-at-war-over-shop-sizes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarkets-at-war-over-shop-sizes.html An ACT administrative tribunal finds it difficult to believe the territory's planning office was unaware retail giant Woolworths is trading in breach of its lease at Bonner. Having established there was a breach of the Crown lease purpose clause, in that the supermarket exceeded the permissible 1500 square metres by about 140 square... Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/customer-grabs-bat-off-bandit-who-bolts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/customer-grabs-bat-off-bandit-who-bolts.html A quick-thinking customer grabbed a baseball bat off a bandit threatening a console operator at a Leichhardt service station last night. Police last night were searching for the bandit who had tried to rob the Caltex service station. The robber threatened the operator, demanding money, but the customer standing behind the would-be... Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-nsw-government-needs-new-plan-to-catch-petrol-theives--say-fairfield-s-service-station-owners.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-nsw-government-needs-new-plan-to-catch-petrol-theives--say-fairfield-s-service-station-owners.html Fairfield service station owners have urged the state government to devise a new plan to catch petrol thieves, with statistics from a new trial revealing hundreds of drivers are getting away without paying because investigating police officers have been replaced with a fax machine hotline. The trial has been conducted in Fairfield,... Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-again-modifies-biofuels-legislation.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-again-modifies-biofuels-legislation.html On 24 October 2012, the NSW Minister for Resources and Energy, Mr Chris Hartcher, introduced the Biofuels Further Amendment Bill 2012 (the Bill) for motion into Parliament. The Government, by presenting the Bill, is responding to several departmental reports, including the NSW Solicitor General’s view that enforcement of the Biofuels... Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-investigation-into-australia-s-oil-refinery-industry-not-addressing-opportunities.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-investigation-into-australia-s-oil-refinery-industry-not-addressing-opportunities.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) welcomes’ the House Economics Committee inquiry into Australia’s Oil Refinery Industry, but is concerned that the terms of reference will not fully address any opportunities for increased wholesale supply competition that would benefit Australian industries... Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inquiry-into-australia-s-oil-refinery-industry.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inquiry-into-australia-s-oil-refinery-industry.html The House Economics Committee will inquire into and report on Australia’s oil refinery industry. According to Australian Institute of Petroleum figures, in 2010-11 domestic refineries supplied around 74 per cent of petroleum products required by Australia’s major industries and service stations. More than a quarter of total... Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-operator-fined-for-underpaying-more-than-200-employees.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-operator-fined-for-underpaying-more-than-200-employees.html A national service station operator has been fined $46,200 for underpaying more than 200 employees. The penalty has been imposed against Freedom Fuels Australia Pty Ltd - a Brisbane-based company which operates service stations in Queensland, Victoria and NSW - in the Federal Magistrates Court in Brisbane. The penalty is the result... Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-sales-up-in-september.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-sales-up-in-september.html Australia's retail spending increased in September, but the high dollar and a weak jobs market could take any shine off the crucial Christmas period. Retail spending rose 0.5 per cent in September, seasonally adjusted, figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Monday showed. The figure was better than many... Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-appeal-for-witnesses-following-a-break-in-at-a-saratoga-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-appeal-for-witnesses-following-a-break-in-at-a-saratoga-service-station.html Police are appealing for witnesses following a break in at a Saratoga service station. Officers were called to the Village Rd business just after 2.30am this morning after an alarm was activated. When police arrived they found the front door had been smashed and a number of cigarette boxes were missing. The thief or thieves had... Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fire-destroys-car-at-newport-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fire-destroys-car-at-newport-service-station.html A mother and her young son were lucky to escape injury after their car caught fire next to a petrol bowser at a service station at Newport on Saturday morning. The Bilgola Plateau woman had just filled her silver 2004 Volvo four-wheel-drive at the service station at the corner of Barrenjoey Rd and Seaview Ave at 10am and had gone into... Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/1-000-licences-in-nsw-under-review.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/1-000-licences-in-nsw-under-review.html The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) is calling for all licence holders in NSW to participate in an investigation into the potential reform of around 1,000 NSW licences. The NSW Government has asked IPART to review and identify those licenses where reform would produce the greatest reduction in costs to business and... Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-operators-get-stamp-duty-reprieve-on-new-trailers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-operators-get-stamp-duty-reprieve-on-new-trailers.html Trucking operators in New South Wales can now add new trailers to their fleets without having to pay stamp duty. The State Revenue Legislation Further Amendment Bill passed into law on October 29, exempting operators from paying stamp duty on new trailers. The legislation brings the state into line with other jurisdictions to encourage... Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/road-spikes-stop--petrol-thieves--in-their-desert-tracks.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/road-spikes-stop--petrol-thieves--in-their-desert-tracks.html Two Melbourne men who managed to outrun a police chase in South Australia saw their escape come undone hours later with a roadside spike belt. Police say the two men were wanted for petrol thefts at two stations along the west coast but failed to pull over during a pursuit that officers later called off for safety reasons. Road... Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-spill-closes-pacific-highway.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-spill-closes-pacific-highway.html Hazmat crews are mopping up a spill on the NSW north coast that is expected to leave part of the Pacific Highway closed for hours. Police say a petrol tanker and a car collided head-on on the highway north of Ballina shortly after 3pm (AEDT) on Sunday. The car driver was flown by rescue helicopter to Lismore Base Hospital with... Sun, 04 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/lansvale--service-station-worker-robbed-at-gunpoint.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/lansvale--service-station-worker-robbed-at-gunpoint.html Police are investigating the armed robbery of a service station in Lansvale overnight. Police said two men entered the service station on the Hume Highway armed with a gunabout 10.30pm on Thursday. They threatened the 19-year-old male employee and demanded money from the register. The staff member complied and the pair fled on... Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ombudsman-to-probe-servo-work-complaints.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ombudsman-to-probe-servo-work-complaints.html A spike in complaints from workers in the fuel service industry has prompted the Fair Work Ombudsman to conduct an audit of most of Western Australia's regional areas in coming months. Minimum wages will be checked, as well as whether workers are being paid the relevant penalty rates. The WA Fair Work Ombudsman will be travelling... Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-to-offer-grocery-discount-after-petrol-docket-drama.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-to-offer-grocery-discount-after-petrol-docket-drama.html Supermarket giant Coles will offer Bundaberg customers a discount on their grocery bills after the city's only Coles-aligned service station declined to renew its contract, leaving customers with nowhere to redeem their fuel discounts. Coles spokesman Jim Cooper said the company had been looking into ways to replicate the discount... Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-safety-legislation-clears-sa-parliament.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-safety-legislation-clears-sa-parliament.html Workplace safety legislation passed by the South Australian Parliament will help reduce deaths and work injuries, says the Government. There were 16 fatalities reported to SafeWork SA in the 19 months it took Parliament to deal with the bill. SA Industrial Relations Minister Russell Wortley said the improved laws would take effect... Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/local-vendors-fined-for-selling-cigarettes-to-children.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/local-vendors-fined-for-selling-cigarettes-to-children.html Several fines of up to $750 have recently been handed down by North Coast Local Courts to people who sold cigarettes to a person under 18 years of age. Since January, 84 tobacco retailers across the North Coast were visited to check if they sold tobacco products to children. On 18 separate occasions the salesperson broke the law by... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-bandit-wearing-halloween-mask.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-bandit-wearing-halloween-mask.html Police have released CCTV footage of an armed robbery at an Adelaide Hills service station where the suspect was wearing a Halloween mask. They say the man entered the Liberty service station in Balhannah just before 5.30am yesterday, allegedly armed with a knife. The man allegedly threatened the staff member with the knife and... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/safety-ambassador-of-the-year-award-winner.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/safety-ambassador-of-the-year-award-winner.html The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Bill Shorten today announced Jacinta Macaulay from Ron Finemore Transport as the 2012 Safety Ambassador of the Year at a ceremony at Australian Parliament House in Canberra. In presenting the award Mr Shorten recognised the commitment to improving work health and safety demonstrated by... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/put-woolies-on-your-watchlist-and-wait.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/put-woolies-on-your-watchlist-and-wait.html It is one of the Australian success stories of the past 20 years – the supermarket chain that was rescued from mediocrity and now turns over more than $55 billion in sales each year. To put that in perspective, that is the equivalent of more than $2400 for every man, woman and child in Australia. Yes, the company also owns... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-man-robs-casula-bp-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-man-robs-casula-bp-station.html Police are hunting a man who brandished a gun during a petrol station robbery in south west Sydney last night. The offender burst into the BP service station on the Hume Hwy, Casula and threatened the staff member with a handgun about 2.15am. He stole a sum of cash and cigarettes before running away toward nearby Graham Ave. Police... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-stations-and-roadhouses-the-focus-of-new-campaign-in-wa--sa-and-nt.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-stations-and-roadhouses-the-focus-of-new-campaign-in-wa--sa-and-nt.html The Fair Work Ombudsman will audit up to 180 fuel retailers across Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory over the next few months as part of a new education and compliance campaign. The campaign will focus on company-owned, franchised and independent service stations and roadhouses in metropolitan and regional... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-peak-body-enters-the-energy-sector.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-peak-body-enters-the-energy-sector.html A new national peak body – Gas Energy Australia – has been formed to consolidate the advocacy, policy and technical development profile of the downstream LPG, CNG and LNG industries. “ … this significant development in the energy sector will provide the gaseous fuels industry and our key stakeholders with a... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-a-finalist-in-workcover-nsw-safework-awards-2012.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-a-finalist-in-workcover-nsw-safework-awards-2012.html ACAPMA are proud to announce that they were named as a finalist in the WorkCover NSW SafeWork Awards 2012. General Manager of WorkCover NSW, John Watson, delivered the exciting news to ACAPMA in front of 300 delegates at the Convenience and Fuel Industry Conference (CFIC) 2012 in Melbourne. “It is great to be here, but it is... Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/slow-and-steady-retail-spending-expected-over-christmas.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/slow-and-steady-retail-spending-expected-over-christmas.html A slower Christmas could be on the cards for retailers despite recent cuts to the official interest rate, according to an Australian Food and Grocery Council study. A retail index indicates retail trade in the December quarter is likely to be up 2.9 per cent on the same quarter last year. That would be below both the 10-year average... Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/famous-foodie-lashes-supermarket-stranglehold.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/famous-foodie-lashes-supermarket-stranglehold.html Celebrity chef and food producer Maggie Beer has taken a swipe at major supermarkets for pushing food prices lower and failing to support Australian growers. In a speech last week, Ms Beer, whose pate, quince paste and ice creams sell through Coles and Woolworths, lamented ''so many Australians seek the cheapest alternative in... Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-hits-hills-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-hits-hills-service-station.html An armed robber escaped with cash after threatening a staff member at an Adelaide Hills service station this morning. Police are searching for the man, who entered the Liberty Service Station in Balhannah just before 5.30am and demanded money. He ran from the Onkaparinga Valley Rd store with cash. No one was physically injured. ... Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbers-target-stores-overnight.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbers-target-stores-overnight.html A Malaga service station and an Ardross fast food outlet were targeted by armed robbers last night. About 9.45pm a man entered the Caltex Star mart on Alexander Drive and threatened staff with a knife. He stole a quantity of cash before fleeing from the store on foot. He is described as olive skinned, in his late-twenties,... Mon, 29 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/traders-fear-flak-at-plain-pack.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/traders-fear-flak-at-plain-pack.html Traders say the introduction of plain-packaged cigarettes is a nightmare for those serving customers and is unlikely to stop people smoking. The new cigarette packets have started appearing in Victorian supermarkets following the halt of old-style package manufacturing at major tobacco factories belonging to Philip Morris in Melbourne... Mon, 29 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/port-privatisation-will-send-fuel-price-rocketing---labor.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/port-privatisation-will-send-fuel-price-rocketing---labor.html Consumers are at risk of being hit with higher petrol, gas and airline ticket prices because of the NSW government's plans to privatise Port Botany, a group of companies central to the state's energy supply chain is warning. Legislation to privatise Port Botany has been introduced to the State Parliament by the Treasurer, Mike... Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-sniffing-blamed-for-mall-fire.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-sniffing-blamed-for-mall-fire.html A 29-year-old man was sniffing petrol in the roof cavity of a Darwin shopping centre shortly before a fire ignited, a court has heard. Gabriel Brendon Hazelbane faced Darwin Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with two counts of damage to property and one count of recklessly endangering life. Prosecutors allege Hazelbane lit a... Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-invests-in-sa-logistics.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-invests-in-sa-logistics.html The South Australian Government has signposted plans for a BP logistics base in South Australia following the start of a $20 million expansion at BP’s major fuel terminal in Adelaide. State Energy minister Tom Koutsantonis says the government is looking forward to working with BP as it considers the potential for a logistics base... Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-top-cop-backs-pay-before-you-pump-fuel.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/nsw-top-cop-backs-pay-before-you-pump-fuel.html The state's top cop was responding to criticism from the NSW opposition that not much was being done to catch drivers who bolt out of petrol stations without paying. Statistics released by Labor MP Walt Secord on Tuesday reveal that less than three per cent of people reported for theft under a state government trial of a fax machine... Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aust-losing-investment-dollars--bp-boss.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/aust-losing-investment-dollars--bp-boss.html BP Australasia president Paul Waterman cited proposed restrictions on domestic gas prices, an inability to implement the strategic tax reforms of the Henry Review and import tariffs on ethanol as current policy problems. BP is a big investor in liquefied natural gas production and exploration off north-west Western Australia and operates... Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-to-launch-consumer-app-for-petrol-prices.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-to-launch-consumer-app-for-petrol-prices.html The chief executive of the nation’s No.?1 retailer has taken a swipe at the government and regulators for “shackling Australian-owned retailers like Woolworths” by trying to introduce more regulation for the sector. Speaking at an Australian Institute of Company Directors lunch in Sydney on Tuesday, Woolworths chief... Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-starts-on-new-diesel-storage.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-starts-on-new-diesel-storage.html Work has started on a $20 million diesel storage tank at BP's Largs North terminal in Adelaide. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis has been present to symbolically turn the first sod. The tank will be about three times the size of the terminal's current largest tank. The president of BP Australasia,... Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robbers-take-off-with-cash-in-raid-on-servo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/robbers-take-off-with-cash-in-raid-on-servo.html Crooks have targeted the Matilda service station at Willowbank for the fourth time this year, escaping with a cash till after raiding the store in the early hours of the morning. Two men, heavily disguised in black clothing and masks, forced their way into the Cunningham Hwy business about 3.50am yesterday. Police said two employees... Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-of-the-future.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-of-the-future.html A Hobart student working on a new method to produce biodiesel and healthy-to-eat omega-3 oils from microalgae believes Tasmania has a big future in biotechnology. Kim Lee Chang, from Malaysia, who has been living in Tasmania for the past 10 years, is in the running for a national biotechnology award. Mr Chang's PhD project has... Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/leighton-o-brien-appoints-new-vp-of-sales-to-spearhead-us-market-growth.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/leighton-o-brien-appoints-new-vp-of-sales-to-spearhead-us-market-growth.html Colorado Springs, October 22, 2012 – Global technology leader in environmental compliance solutions, Leighton O’Brien today announced the appointment of Jeff Davis as Vice President of US Sales to spearhead its growing US operations and Licensed Service Provider (LSP) network. Mr Davis is an experienced sales and marketing... Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-from-air--produced-by-uk-company.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-from-air--produced-by-uk-company.html Air Fuel Syndication, a company located in the UK, claims that it has developed a revolutionary technology that enables production of "petrol from air". "Petrol from air" is produced by using technology that captures water vapor and carbon dioxide present in air. By using this method the company produces a synthetic... Mon, 22 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/belt-tightening-hits-maccas--bottom-line.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/belt-tightening-hits-maccas--bottom-line.html McDonald's has posted its worst quarterly restaurant sales growth performance in nine years, signalling broad pressure on an industry where resurgent chains like Burger King and Taco Bell are fighting aggressively for diners who are spending less to eat out. The world's biggest fast-food chain also reported on Friday its second... Mon, 22 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/oil-prices-fall-for-fourth-day.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/oil-prices-fall-for-fourth-day.html Brent crude prices fell on Friday for the fourth straight session, dragged down by fresh global economic concerns and expectations a major Canadian crude oil pipeline to the United States would restart on schedule. Concerns about the lack of progress on a Spanish bailout dampened risk appetite, helping send equities and commodity markets... Mon, 22 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/no-trick--just-a-big-treat-for-shops-as-halloween-knocks.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/no-trick--just-a-big-treat-for-shops-as-halloween-knocks.html Coles and Woolworths are reporting sales increases of as much as 30 per cent across lines of costumes, confectionary and pumpkins in the lead-up to Halloween as a growing number of Australians celebrate the spooky festivities of an essentially American holiday. Other retailers too are cashing in on the excitement around Halloween, which... Mon, 22 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-refreshed-by--needed-change-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-refreshed-by--needed-change-.html In the year since he took the helm at Woolworths, chief executive Grant O'Brien reckons he has driven more change than the country's largest retailer had seen in a decade. The headline-grabbers have been the sale of the Dick Smith electronics business and an associated electricals joint venture with Indian conglomerate Tata, as... Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-tax-may-rise-for-surplus--dutton.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-tax-may-rise-for-surplus--dutton.html The federal opposition says if Labor hikes the tobacco tax again it won't be about cutting smoking rates but raising extra revenue to try to meet its promised budget surplus. There's speculation the government could increase the tobacco excise by 25 per cent in its upcoming budget update, called the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal... Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/indies-help-keep-fuel-prices-down-in-pine-rivers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/indies-help-keep-fuel-prices-down-in-pine-rivers.html The number of independent service stations in Pine Rivers is driving fuel prices down, according to a new study. Independents are, on average, 1 cent a litre cheaper than major brands and, with at least five independents in Pine Rivers, motorists are better off. A recent study by University of Queensland lecturer and researcher Dr... Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-on-the-hunt-for-youth-who-robbed-a-north-narrabeen-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-on-the-hunt-for-youth-who-robbed-a-north-narrabeen-petrol-station.html Police are searching for two men and a youth who robbed a North Narrabeen petrol station today. Northern Beaches crime manager Inspector Craig Wonders said two men armed with knives and a golf club entered the service station near the intersection of Pittwater and Gondola roads at 12.30am while a third stood at the door. They... Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/major-construction-begins-on-the-world-s-biggest-offshore-floating-facility.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/major-construction-begins-on-the-world-s-biggest-offshore-floating-facility.html Today Shell celebrated the cutting of first steel for the game-changing Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility’s substructure with joint venture participants, Inpex and KOGAS, and lead contractor, the Technip Samsung Consortium, at Samsung Heavy Industries’ Geoje shipyard in South Korea. Shell’s Projects... Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-scraps-in-store-mobile-sales--120-staff.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-scraps-in-store-mobile-sales--120-staff.html Nearly 120 workers at supermarket chain Coles have been axed after the grocer abandoned in-store sales of post-paid mobile phone contracts and accessories. The workers first suspected their jobs may be in jeopardy when they received a text message received at about 12.15pm yesterday which ordered them to attend a mandatory meeting at... Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-clean-up-fake-washing-powder-load.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-clean-up-fake-washing-powder-load.html Police have seized 40 tonnes of counterfeit washing powder in Sydney's south, the second such raid in four months. The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad found the detergent and about 5,000 falsely-labelled buckets at a Customs depot in Botany. The squad has been investigating a racket that allegedly involves importing fake... Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drinking-it-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drinking-it-up.html When it comes to beverages, Aussies are drinking less, spending more and choosing convenience stores over supermarkets. Australians have increased the amount they spend on beverages but are drinking less per person, according to the 2012 Nielsen Wider Beverages Report, which reports on the spend and consumption of beverages across key... Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-to-review-woolworths--hawker-expansion-plans.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-to-review-woolworths--hawker-expansion-plans.html The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has said it is reviewing Woolworths' plans to acquire a full-scale supermarket and liquor licence from IGA retailer John Krnc in the Canberra suburb of Hawker, according to The Australian Financial Review. Mr Krnc reportedly agreed to sell his Hawker store after Woolworths... Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-suffers-burns-refuelling-car.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woman-suffers-burns-refuelling-car.html A 37-year-old Cessnock woman has suffered second degree burns after lighting a cigarette while trying to refuel her car. Police say the woman's car had earlier run out of petrol in Quorrobolong Road Kitchener and she returned to it last night with a jerry can to refuel it. The fuel ignited when she lit a cigarette, causing burns... Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/kirin-profits-sent-reeling-by-discount-milk-prices.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/kirin-profits-sent-reeling-by-discount-milk-prices.html Sluggish earnings growth, discounting and intense competition in its dairy division have hit Australia's biggest brewer, forcing its Japanese owner, Kirin, to issue a profit warning that sent its shares plunging on the Tokyo stock exchange. Kirin Holdings fell the most in almost a year yesterday after cutting its 2015 sales forecast... Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/western-downs-mayor-looks-toward-a-natural-gas-future.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/western-downs-mayor-looks-toward-a-natural-gas-future.html Underscored by the harvesting of coal seam gas from his region, Western Downs mayor Ray Brown imagines an energy revolution. It would be one in which the farmer's tractor, fertiliser and the light switches in the home are all created using the liquefied natural gas refined from CSG. Cr Brown outlined his vision in brief at the... Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shotgun-brandished-in-hotel-raid.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shotgun-brandished-in-hotel-raid.html Two men - one armed with a full-sized double barrel shotgun - threatened staff and patrons in the gaming room of the Enfield Hotel last night. The men ran into the gaming room at 11.17pm, one jumping the cashier counter while the armed man threatened patrons. They stole cash and then ran out the rear to a waiting white Hyundai Excel... Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-after-petrol-bowsers-set-alight---penrith.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-after-petrol-bowsers-set-alight---penrith.html A man is due to appear in court later today charged with multiple offences relating to attempted robberies and fires in Penrith overnight. A 29-year-old man went to a service station in High Street about 7.45pm yesterday (15 October). Police will allege the man demanded cash, however, the attendant refused and the man sprayed fluid... Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-search-for-two-men-who-robbed-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-search-for-two-men-who-robbed-petrol-station.html Police are searching for two men who robbed a Churchill petrol station at knife point early this morning. Preliminary investigations indicate the pair entered the Warwick Rd business about 1am and threatened a 38-year-old male console operator before stealing a sum of cash. They were last seen running towards the cemetery. The... Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-implements-first-tranche-response-to-fair-work-act-review.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-implements-first-tranche-response-to-fair-work-act-review.html Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Bill Shorten today announced the Government would implement a first tranche of recommendations arising from the independent Fair Work Act Review (the Review). The Review Panel found that the Fair Work Act is operating as intended and in accordance with the objects of the legislation. ... Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fair-work-to-drive-productivity.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fair-work-to-drive-productivity.html The Gillard government’s productivity drive will include specific roles for the two labour regulators to improve the efficiency of individual workplaces, as part of the first changes to Labor’s Fair Work Act. The push for Fair Work Australia and the Fair Work Ombudsman to build expertise in industrial organisation, innovation... Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/be-a-safety-leader.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/be-a-safety-leader.html National Safe Work Australia Week will be celebrated from Sunday 21 October to Saturday 27 October 2012. This year’s theme is Safety begins with ‘S’ but starts with ‘YOU’. It recognises that everyone is responsible for health and safety and leading their business to a safer workplace. Held annually, Safe... Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cigarettes-stolen-in-armed-robbery-at-pooraka-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cigarettes-stolen-in-armed-robbery-at-pooraka-service-station.html An armed man who threatened a service station attendant with a screwdriver at Pooraka yesterday is still at large. The man walked into the Bridge Rd store about 10.40pm and fled with an undisclosed number of cigarettes. The console operator was not physically injured during the robbery, police said. "The suspect is described as... Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/finemore-opens--9-million-facility-in-regional-nsw.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/finemore-opens--9-million-facility-in-regional-nsw.html Ron Finemore Transport has opened a new $9 million facility in regional New South Wales to house its 120 staff and fleet of 50 vehicles. NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell was on hand to officially open the site, which includes warehouse storage, modern office capabilities, driver rest amenities and parking. Situated at Orange, the... Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shop-raider-flees-with-cash-register-after-cutting-cord.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shop-raider-flees-with-cash-register-after-cutting-cord.html Police are searching for an armed bandit who cut free a cash register during a robbery at a Willowbank convenience store yesterday. The man entered the Willowbank Convenience Store and Takeaway at 7.20am, only five minutes after Hui Wang and her husband arrived for work. Mrs Wang was behind the counter of the O'Neills Road store... Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/balaclava-bandits-flee-with--only-the-notes-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/balaclava-bandits-flee-with--only-the-notes-.html A service station worker has been threatened with a knife during an armed robbery in Melbourne's east this morning. Police say two men wearing balaclavas smashed their way into the store on Springvale Road at Forest Hill about 2:00am (AEDT). The victim told police the pair demanded "only the notes" before fleeing on... Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/workers-with-sleep-disorders-more-likely-to-crash-vehicles.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/workers-with-sleep-disorders-more-likely-to-crash-vehicles.html Employers should screen their workers for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) to reduce the risk of vehicle incidents, an Israeli study has suggested. "It has been shown that individuals with SDB are at high risk for falling asleep while driving and are therefore involved in more motor vehicle crashes," the researchers said. ... Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-in-hoppers-crossing.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-in-hoppers-crossing.html Detectives from the Altona North Embona Taskforce are investigating following an armed robbery at a service station in Hoppers Crossing on Monday. Investigators have been told a man with a hooded jumper entered the premises on Old Geelong Road around 4.30am. Armed with an axe, the robber threatened staff and stole a quantity of cash... Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/how-to-invest-in-your-local-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/how-to-invest-in-your-local-service-station.html These days, service stations offer much more than milk, bread and fuel. Investors are also catered for, with stable, hassle-free rental income available at your convenience. Five auctions of 7-Eleven service stations have taken place in NSW in the past 18 months. Ten service stations went under the hammer on September 25 in what... Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/youth-allegedly-threw-bottle-at-policewoman.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/youth-allegedly-threw-bottle-at-policewoman.html A teenage will appear in court later this month after a policewoman was allegedly struck by a glass bottle on the Mid North Coast. Police were called to a service station in South Kempsey last night about 10pm.   Officers arrested a 17-year-old boy, who had allegedly taken items from the shelves and smashed them on the... Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hydro-car-s-future-bright-as-hydrogen-storage-advances.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hydro-car-s-future-bright-as-hydrogen-storage-advances.html Hydrogen is seen as a clean, green fuel and a replacement for petrol in cars because when it burns in oxygen, it only produces heat and water. These are two hydrogen storage applications that Dr Paskevicius is researching as part of his work at the Hydrogen Storage Research Group which is part of the Fuels and Energy Technology Institute... Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-cylinder-safety-alert-for-all-service-stations.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-cylinder-safety-alert-for-all-service-stations.html WorkCover NSW and Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) today issued a warning to the NSW community and service station owners to be careful when filling LPG cylinders this summer. The warning follows two recent fires at Sydney service stations involved LPG cylinders as well as a series of LPG and barbeque fires caused largely by the war and ear... Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/journey-towards-interdependence-begins.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/journey-towards-interdependence-begins.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) and the Australian Petroleum Industry Contractors and Suppliers Association (APICSA) have commenced deliberations that will see them interact in a new and powerful way. Bringing together operators, equipment suppliers and service contractors the Associations will... Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-legislation-in-place-for-dads-and-partners-to-apply-for-paid-time-off-with-baby.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-legislation-in-place-for-dads-and-partners-to-apply-for-paid-time-off-with-baby.html Recent government news is that prospective fathers and partners, regardless of gender, are now able to apply to have paid time off work when their new baby is born.  Eligible fathers and partners are entitled to two weeks’ paid leave under the Federal Government’s “Dad and Partner” scheme from 1 January 2013, but... Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-consider-national-drive-off-register.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-consider-national-drive-off-register.html Representatives from New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland Police have each arranged to meet with ACAPMA and MotorMouth, the operators of the National Drive-off Register, in the coming weeks. Nic Moulis, ACAPMA CEO, describes the interest from these police departments as “major progress” in the establishment of the... Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rocky-road-to-revival--stores-welcome-back-darrell-lea-treats.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rocky-road-to-revival--stores-welcome-back-darrell-lea-treats.html Darrell Lea products should be on sale in every major supermarket chain in time for Christmas shopping, said Klark Quinn, one of the new owners. ''Everyone wants Darrell Lea,'' he told the Herald. That's a sweet turnaround for the 85-year old company, which was put into voluntary administration in July by its previous... Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-bottle-explosion-in-st-peters-leaves-man-with-arm-burns.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-bottle-explosion-in-st-peters-leaves-man-with-arm-burns.html A gas bottle explosion in St Peters this morning has left a man with serious arm burns. The industrial accident occurred on King St about 11.30am. Paramedics were called to assist a 28-year-old man who sustained serious burns to his arms. He was taken to RPA in a serious condition, a NSW Ambulance spokesman said. It is... Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/grain-based-biofuels-exacerbating-food-crisis--expert-says.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/grain-based-biofuels-exacerbating-food-crisis--expert-says.html A leading expert on food security has argued that the production of grain-based biofuels is driving the global food crisis. Dr Shenggen Fan, Director General of the renowned food policy think-tank the International Food Policy Research Institute, told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program that using grain to make fuel has been one... Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rural-cops-prepare-for-spike-in-stock-and-fuel-thefts.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rural-cops-prepare-for-spike-in-stock-and-fuel-thefts.html New South Wales rural crime investigators are worried rising fuel prices and buoyant sheep and cattle markets will lead to a further spike in thefts from rural areas. Police estimate cattle and sheep theft last year cost the state's farmers just under $4 million. Over the past three years, thieves stole diesel fuel worth more... Tue, 09 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/legear-crashes-car-into-store--injuring-1-person.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/legear-crashes-car-into-store--injuring-1-person.html BRUSSELS (AP) -- Belgian player Jonathan Legear will face court and be banned from driving for at least two weeks after driving his sports car at high speed into a gas station convenience store, injuring one customer. Security video taken early Sunday shows Legear's Porsche crashed through the glass doors of the store in the eastern... Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cowardly-criminals-hitting-soft-targets--sparking-fears-of-hostage-situations.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cowardly-criminals-hitting-soft-targets--sparking-fears-of-hostage-situations.html A spate of violent armed robberies on easy targets has retailers fearful that their customers and employees could be plunged into hostage situations. Four armed hold-ups in 24 hours to yesterday morning took to 27 the number of armed robberies on soft targets in the past month. Security companies are being asked to guard more... Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/badly-burnt-electrician-clings-to-life.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/badly-burnt-electrician-clings-to-life.html An electrician who suffered burns to 95 per cent of his body during an accident in Sydney's CBD is clinging to life, just a day after another man died of an electric shock. On Thursday, a 25-year-old man died after receiving an electric shock while installing an air conditioning unit at a petrol station in Miranda, in the city's... Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1100 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australians-choose-convenience-over-health-for-lunch.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australians-choose-convenience-over-health-for-lunch.html More Australians say convenience and value for money rather than health and nutrition are the key drivers for their lunchtime choices, according to a recent study conducted by SumoSalad. SumoSalad’s National Lunchtime Habits Survey showed that 46% of Australians make their choice of lunch based on convenience and value for money,... Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-floats-its--1-4bn--foodies--trust.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies-floats-its--1-4bn--foodies--trust.html Retailer Woolworths today will launch its $1.4 billion Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group covering 70 marketplace supermarkets, including New Zealand stores. The float comes as the food sector continues to outperform traditional fashion and department stores. Once public, the trust's peers will be Charter Hall Retail... Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alleged-thief-taunted-7-eleven-worker-with-the-words--i-love-you---court-told.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alleged-thief-taunted-7-eleven-worker-with-the-words--i-love-you---court-told.html A man armed with a carving knife whispered 'I love you' to a service station attendant after robbing him of cash and cigarettes, a court has been told. Aaron Cordell, 31, of Labrador in Queensland was refused bail in the Southport Magistrates Court today with Magistrate Brian Kilmartin ruling him at risk of re-offending, the Gold... Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/firefighters-battle-servo-blaze.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/firefighters-battle-servo-blaze.html A fire has destroyed part of a service station in Sydney's inner-west this morning. Emergency services were called to the service station on New Canterbury Rd at Clargo St, Dulwich Hill, after the business part of the building became alight around 5am. The blaze was contained to prevent it from spreading to the gas cylinders and... Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-giants-lose-sunday-trading-bid.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-giants-lose-sunday-trading-bid.html The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission has rejected an application for two large supermarket chains to trade seven days a week in Ingham in the state's north. Woolworths and Coles had wanted to open their doors on Sundays. The applications were fiercely opposed in court by local, state and federal politicians, as well as... Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-flees-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-flees-service-station.html A service station attendant has grabbed a metal pole and scared off a would-be robber wielding a firearm in Sydney's inner west. Police believe the offender went on to hold up another service station and get away with cash. At about 9.40pm (AEST) on Wednesday a man entered a petrol station on Crystal Street in Petersham and... Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-workers-to-celebrate-safe-work-week-from-21-27-october.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-workers-to-celebrate-safe-work-week-from-21-27-october.html As we enter the month of October, the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) would like to remind the industry about Safe Work Australia Week, which officially runs from 21-27 October. The annual event encourages workers around Australia to place workplace health and safety as a priority and look at ways... Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/changes-to-dispute-resolution-under-the-oilcode.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/changes-to-dispute-resolution-under-the-oilcode.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) would like to remind businesses within the petroleum distributors and petrol convenience industry about the recent changes to the dispute resolution under the Oilcode. The Dispute Resolution Adviser (DRA) is a role established under the Oilcode to assist petroleum... Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cash--smokes--ipad-taken-in-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cash--smokes--ipad-taken-in-robbery.html Two men, both armed with knives, robbed a Seaton service station last night. The men stole cash, cigarettes and an iPad during the robbery on Tapleys Hill Rd, about 8.30pm, before fleeing on foot. No one was injured in the incident. The robbers were described as Caucasian, in their early 20s, 180cm tall and dressed in all black... Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-man-who-robbed-a-7-eleven-in-cranbourne-north-armed-with-a-machete-and-knife.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-man-who-robbed-a-7-eleven-in-cranbourne-north-armed-with-a-machete-and-knife.html A man allegedly robbed a 7-Eleven armed with a knife and a machete. It is alleged the man struck at the service station in Cranbourne North just after 2am on June 15. The man approached the front counter of the service station and allegedly produced both weapons, threatening the attendant before demanding cigarettes and cash. He... Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-tanker-blaze-extinguished-after-crash.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-tanker-blaze-extinguished-after-crash.html Firefighters have extinguished a large petrol tanker fire near Nagambie in central Victoria. The fire broke out after the tanker, carrying around 50,000 litres of fuel, hit a kangaroo on the Goulburn Valley Highway just before 5:30am today. The driver managed to pull over and escape the vehicle, before the fire spread to the... Sun, 30 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-over-glendalough-armed-robbery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-over-glendalough-armed-robbery.html Police have charged a 30-year-old man over the armed hold up of a service station in Glendalough yesterday. The driver is alleged to have filled his car with petrol before entering the service station ordering food and drink, and threatened to shoot the attendant while demanding they hand over cash. The robbery occurred at 8.40am... Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/states-and-territories-need-to-be-on-board-for-opal-fuel-laws-to-work--says-senate-committee.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/states-and-territories-need-to-be-on-board-for-opal-fuel-laws-to-work--says-senate-committee.html A greens-sponsored bill to force retailers to stop selling regular unleaded fuel near petrol-sniffing communities should be scrapped for a state and territory-based approach, a Senate committee recommends. The committee, chaired by Labor's Claire Moore, said the Gillard government should continue its negotiations with the states and... Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sun-protection-policy-reminder-this-spring.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sun-protection-policy-reminder-this-spring.html Spring has sprung, so it is wise to reflect on the precautions we need to take to ensure a safe workplace when it comes to exposure to ultraviolet radiation, skin cancers and eye damage. Occupational health and safety in this important area means a clear and concise sun protection policy. Many members will have this in hand... Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/western-australians-are-reminded-of-safe-work-october.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/western-australians-are-reminded-of-safe-work-october.html Western Australian workplaces are reminded that the first week in October (next week) is Safe Work October 2012. An initiative of The Government of Western Australia, Safe Work October 2012 promotes the importance of safety in the workplace across all industries. Organisations both big and small, government and... Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-retailers-begin-battle-for-saturday-late-trading.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-retailers-begin-battle-for-saturday-late-trading.html The battle for the lucrative Saturday shopping dollar has begun and Queensland's industrial court is about to determine whether people will be able to shop after 5pm at major stores. Representatives of major retailers and IGA traded blows at a Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) hearing yesterday, where the merits of a... Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/attempted-armed-robbery-at-servo.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/attempted-armed-robbery-at-servo.html Newcastle police are hoping witnesses to an attempted armed robbery at a Shortland petrol station will come forward to help them find the man responsible. At 7:30pm (AEST) last night a man armed with a knife went into the service station on Sandgate Road and threatened the male attendant. When he refused to hand over any cash, the... Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-baby-bonus-the-fuel-to-drive-workers--return.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-baby-bonus-the-fuel-to-drive-workers--return.html Parents returning to work following the birth of a baby will stand to reap thousands of dollars in bonuses and subsidised childcare after Caltex launched a pioneering initiative aimed at retaining its female workforce. The fuel company will pay the primary carers of babies quarterly bonuses equivalent to 3 per cent of their salaries... Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/high-petrol-price-drives-number-plate-theft.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/high-petrol-price-drives-number-plate-theft.html High petrol prices are tempting petrol thieves to steal vehicle number plates before committing petrol thefts. This conclusion was drawn after the latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research figures were released this month. BOCSAR director Don Weatherburn drew a direct link between rising petrol prices and rego plate... Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/changes-to-workers-compensation-in-nsw.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/changes-to-workers-compensation-in-nsw.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) would like to remind employers in the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry of changes to the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme. The latest changes form part of the second phase of the scheme, and aims to deliver significant new benefits for workers... Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket--milk-wars--continue-to-push-farmers-out.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket--milk-wars--continue-to-push-farmers-out.html The Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation (QDO) says the industry crisis is continuing because of the supermarket milk price war. More than 200 farmers are expected to attend the QDO's conference in Gatton in Queensland's Lockyer Valley over the next two days. QDO president Brian Tessmann says since the major supermarkets... Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/no-plan-to-take-back-ir-laws--newman.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/no-plan-to-take-back-ir-laws--newman.html There has been mixed reaction to a proposal by the Queensland attorney-general to take back some industrial relations (IR) powers the state handed to Canberra in 2010. Premier Campbell Newman backed away from the proposal at a news conference on Monday afternoon, while Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan described it as a shambles. ... Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/epa-probes-elsternwick-fuel-spill.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/epa-probes-elsternwick-fuel-spill.html The EPA is investigating reports of a petrol leak  from fuel tanks at a disused Elsternwick service station. Contractor Paul Roberts told Leader he had been brought in to rip up concrete at the site at 258 Glen Eira Rd last Thursday. "When I went to the tip (another man) has jumped on the machine and pulled the tanks out of... Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/halt-retail-building-surge--call.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/halt-retail-building-surge--call.html The head of Australia's largest independent supermarket chain has called for a two-year moratorium on building new retail space. Fred Harrison, chief executive of Ritchies' 70 IGA-affiliated supermarkets, said a building frenzy over the past decade was likely to disadvantage small businesses, particularly those struggling with... Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-appeal-for-petrol-station-attack.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-appeal-for-petrol-station-attack.html Two men have been assaulted as they stood at the night counter of a service station in eastern Sydney, police say. A 42-year-old man lost a tooth and received other superficial injuries when he was punched to the ground during the fight in Bondi around 1.30am (AEST) on Sunday. He and his 46-year-old friend, who was uninjured, had... Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-plan-for-cheaper-atms.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-plan-for-cheaper-atms.html Supermarket chain Coles is poised to take on the banks with its own network of cheaper ATMs. The store is testing the units at two of its Melbourne stores, charging $1 per withdrawal. About 30 other locations nationwide will use the ATMs if the plan takes off. Spokesman Jon Church said feedback had been positive since the... Sun, 23 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/large-grocery-chains-face-rising-accc-scrutiny.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/large-grocery-chains-face-rising-accc-scrutiny.html Growing efforts by major grocery chains to acquire retail lands is drawing the attention of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which has threatened to block Woolworths Ltd from acquiring a block of land in Sydney's west end, according to The Australian Financial Review. The competition regulator has released a... Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-starts-cleaning-former-caltex-station-in-blackburn.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/work-starts-cleaning-former-caltex-station-in-blackburn.html The clean-up of the derelict former Caltex petrol station on Blackburn Rd has begun, 16 years after the station closed. A groundwater remediation system, which was installed in July after the old buildings on the site were demolished in April, has begun operating. Blackburn Chamber of Commerce secretary Fay La Galle, who has long... Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/traffic-snarls-after-fuel-and-chemical-tankers-collide.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/traffic-snarls-after-fuel-and-chemical-tankers-collide.html An accident involving a fuel tanker and a truck carrying ammonium nitrate has caused major traffic snarls in Maitland. Police say just after 7:00am (AEST) this morning, the petrol tanker ran into the back of the ammonium nitrate truck on the New England Highway. No chemicals or fuel spilled, but both vehicles were required to remain... Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/knife-man-holds-up-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/knife-man-holds-up-petrol-station.html Police are investigating the armed robbery of a petrol station at Allenstown this morning. Police said about 3.50am a man entered the store area of the Lower Dawson Road petrol station and demanded money while threatening the attendant with a knife. The man fled on foot with a sum of cash. The man is described as having an olive... Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/national-petrol-drive-off-register-launched-by-frustrated-service-station-owners.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/national-petrol-drive-off-register-launched-by-frustrated-service-station-owners.html A national petrol drive-off register of known offenders and suspicious vehicles has been launched by frustrated service station owners who say "enough is enough". The peak bodies representing service station owners and drivers have teamed up to build the database to black-list culprits and make it easier for police to catch... Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-named-as-finalist-in-workcover-nsw-safework-awards-2012.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-named-as-finalist-in-workcover-nsw-safework-awards-2012.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) are proud to announce that they have been named as a finalist in the WorkCover NSW SafeWork Awards 2012. General Manager of WorkCover NSW, John Watson, delivered the exciting news to ACAPMA in front of 300 delegates at the Convenience and Fuel Industry Conference... Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/lpg-fires-an-important-reminder.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/lpg-fires-an-important-reminder.html Two recent incidents have occurred in Sydney, where a fire has caused significant damage to service stations and adjacent properties, as well as creating severe disruptions to the local area during the emergency. Investigations so far have indicated that the fires started from LPG decanting installation. The Australasian Convenience and... Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/beans-on-the-go.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/beans-on-the-go.html The humble baked bean has been transformed into a pastry-covered breakfast or snack, but does the Aussie public have the stomach for it? Even SPC Ardmona managing director Vince Pinneri admits the company's new BIG Bean Bar and Pocket creations may sound a bit strange. But he says the proof is in the eating, and market testing... Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-robbed---merrylands-west.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-robbed---merrylands-west.html Police have appealed for witnesses to an armed robbery at a Merrylands West overnight where a service station employee was threatened at knife point. Shortly after midnight two men approached the lone employee of the service station at the intersection of Kenyons Road and Sherwood Road. The men, both armed with knives, ran to the... Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/burke-steps-in-to-break-impasse-on-fuel-excise-debate.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/burke-steps-in-to-break-impasse-on-fuel-excise-debate.html Trucking operators will be forced to pay 25.5 cents per litre in fuel excise until June 30 next year, after an Opposition attempt to overturn the charge fell one vote short in Federal Parliament yesterday. Opposition spokesman on transport Warren Truss (pictured) could not muster enough numbers to get his disallowance motion over the... Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-owners-unite-to-stop-drive-off-crime.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-owners-unite-to-stop-drive-off-crime.html The operators of service stations across Australia are telling criminals that ‘enough is enough’ and that if you drive-off without paying you will be caught. During the Convenience and Fuel Industry Conference 2012 in Melbourne last week, the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) and MotorMouth... Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servos-shame-fuel-thieves.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servos-shame-fuel-thieves.html Petrol station owners are fighting back in a bid to stop thieves driving away without paying. Queensland Police statistics reveal 508 cases of petrol drive-offs on the Sunshine Coast last financial year - a huge jump from the 207 cases the previous year. The hike in fuel thefts has prompted many Coast businesses to band together to... Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-business-needs-a-champion-with-real-powers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-business-needs-a-champion-with-real-powers.html Why is the federal government turning on the charm towards small business? Has it seen the light or are its focus groups telling it that small businesses are sick and tired of growing red tape and the escalating costs of doing business? Either way, we have heard a range of government announcements, such as the proposal to appoint a new... Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/seq-petrol-thefts-double.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/seq-petrol-thefts-double.html Petrol thefts across southeast Queensland more than doubled in the last financial year with at least 22 occurring each day across the region, new figures show. Motorists left Brisbane petrol stations without paying for fuel on 3397 occasions, compared to 1775 occasions in the previous year, statistics compiled by the Queensland Police... Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/greens-to-move-on-food-pack-labelling.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/greens-to-move-on-food-pack-labelling.html Country-of-origin labelling on food packaging would detail where the food is grown and produced, not where it is packaged, under a Greens proposal to be introduced to Parliament today. At present, if more than half of the packaging costs are incurred in Australia and goods have been substantially processed here, regardless of where the... Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hard-line-on-soft-drinks--will-help-families-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hard-line-on-soft-drinks--will-help-families-.html Welfare groups are calling for a tax on soft drink as struggling WA families increasingly turn to affordable junk food. The WA Council for Social Services wants the tariff on soft drink and convenience foods to help offset subsidies for fresh fruit and vegetables. It comes as its annual Cost of Living Report, which is expected to be... Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-dies-as-fuel-tanker-jackknifes-on-hume-freeway-near-violet-town.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-dies-as-fuel-tanker-jackknifes-on-hume-freeway-near-violet-town.html VicRoads will assess the condition of the road once the wreckage has been removed before deciding if lanes can be reopened. The tanker, carrying more than 40,000 litres of fuel, was travelling north along the freeway about 11pm yesterday when it jackknifed and rolled 3km south of Violet Town, about 180km from Melbourne, killing the... Fri, 14 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chief-watchdog-recalls-a-high-octane-youth.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/chief-watchdog-recalls-a-high-octane-youth.html Call him Hot Rod: competition tsar Rod Sims has revealed he has petrol in his blood. ''I was, in effect, born into a service station in Lorne, which my father owned, and which we lived behind,'' the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman told a gathering of servo owners in Melbourne yesterday. ... Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gen-z-and-y-prefer-debit-to-credit.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gen-z-and-y-prefer-debit-to-credit.html Generations Z and Y are more likely to use their debit cards than credit cards for everyday purchases. Data analytics company Quantium reviewed 300 million credit and debit card transactions of anonymous National Australia Bank customers over 12 months and found purchasing behaviour in different generations, states and categories. ... Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/theft-rates-rise-with-fuel-prices.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/theft-rates-rise-with-fuel-prices.html Five incidences today where motorists failed to pay for fuel at Coffs Coast service stations is part of a far greater problem plaguing fuel chains and police in NSW. The latest crime statistics reveal a spike in steal from motor vehicle offences in both metropolitan and regional NSW. Dr Don Weatherburn, the Director of the Bureau of... Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gallagher-attending-convenience---fuel-industry-conference-showcasing-vapour-recovery-solutions.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gallagher-attending-convenience---fuel-industry-conference-showcasing-vapour-recovery-solutions.html Gallagher is proud to be a supporting partner of the biggest event on the fuel industry’s calendar this year. The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association are holding the Convenience and Fuel Industry Conference (CFIC) in Melbourne with an estimated 300 delegates attending. Gallagher Fuel Systems, formerly PEC... Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/price-war-triggers-china-milk-run.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/price-war-triggers-china-milk-run.html Desperate Australian dairy farmers are looking to fly fresh milk directly to Asia to deprive Coles and Woolworths of market power. Dairy leaders are in discussions with the NSW government to ship fresh bottled milk to Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong within 14 hours of it being processed in Sydney. The impetus for the flying milk... Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pacific-pines-convenience-store-robbed.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pacific-pines-convenience-store-robbed.html Police are investigating the armed robbery of a convenience store at Pacific Pines in the early hours of this morning. Around 2am a man entered the store at the intersection of Pacific Pines Boulevard and Binstead Way. He allegedly produced a handgun, confronted the store employee and made demands for money. The store attendant... Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cigs-up--smokers-to-pay-more.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cigs-up--smokers-to-pay-more.html In a move to prop up its promise of delivering a surplus in 2012/13, the Labor government has proposed to lift the tobacco excise tax by 25%. This would raise $5 billion over four years, according to a report in The West Australian. The proposal would lift the price of a pack of 30 cigarettes by $2.62, and may be timed to coincide with... Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-in--550m-raising.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-in--550m-raising.html Oil refiner Caltex has raised $550 million from investors to help fund a restructure that includes the overhaul of its Sydney oil refinery. Caltex had sold $525m in subordinated notes, priced at $100 each, to institutional investors and brokers, and a further $25m of notes to other investors, it said yesterday. The company will use... Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/better-data--a-solution-to-drive-offs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/better-data--a-solution-to-drive-offs.html Service station owners across Australia are being advised that contributing information to a national drive-off and failure-to-pay register is a positive way of addressing the multi-million dollar fuel theft problem. The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA), which represents many of the 6,400 service... Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/algae-industry-could-create-pilbara-jobs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/algae-industry-could-create-pilbara-jobs.html The State Government says the development of an algae aquaculture industry in the Pilbara has the potential to create new jobs outside the resources sector. It has released a report explaining how the region could be an ideal base for the industry because of its sunny climate and close proximity to sea water. The report says algae... Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-to-fight-supermarket-price-falls.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dairy-to-fight-supermarket-price-falls.html Dairy farmers plan direct action over supermarket milk pricing, but there will be no union-type blockades of stores. At the Young Dairy Farmer Expo at Glenormiston last week, Australian Dairy Farmers president Chris Griffin said the ADF was considering some type of direct action to "up the ante a bit", especially on behalf of... Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-hits-rangeville-store.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-hits-rangeville-store.html Toowoomba Police are investigating the armed robbery of a convenience store at Rangeville last night. Just after 9pm a man armed with a knife threatened a female employee at the Perth Street business and demanded she hand over cash from the till. The shop assistant complied with his demands and he fled the scene with a sum of... Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/clayton--bayswater-jobs-on-the-line--hundreds-of-workers-face-anxious-wait.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/clayton--bayswater-jobs-on-the-line--hundreds-of-workers-face-anxious-wait.html Almost 100 jobs in Bayswater and Clayton are hanging in the balance after a food company collapsed last week. Australian Convenience Foods Group — which provides ready-to-eat food to petrol and convenience stores — went into voluntary administration on August 28. Deloitte administrators were seeking expressions of... Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/darrell-lea-goes-to-the-dogs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/darrell-lea-goes-to-the-dogs.html One of Australia’s only chocolate manufacturers and direct-to-the-public retailers, Darrell Lea has been sold to the Queensland based Quinn family, owners of VIP Petfoods, according to a report in today’s Australian Financial Review. The Quinns have agreed to buy the manufacturing and distribution parts of the business, but have... Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/goodman-fielder-looks-for-fresh-savings.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/goodman-fielder-looks-for-fresh-savings.html Struggling bread maker Goodman Fielder will close at least another 10 factories in Australia and New Zealand as it seeks $100 million in cost savings over the next three years. In an investor briefing yesterday chief executive Chris Delaney said Goodman would reduce the number of factories from 53 sites to 35 or fewer, through closures... Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dangers-of-static-electricity.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/dangers-of-static-electricity.html Petroleum distributors and service station owners are being reminded that the advent of Spring brings on an increased risk of a static electricity fire. While the build-up of static charge can occur at any time, history has shown that it is more common during the dryer and winder conditions brought on by the change of season. The... Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victoria-police-push-for-prepaid-petrol-to-eradicate-petrol-drive-offs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/victoria-police-push-for-prepaid-petrol-to-eradicate-petrol-drive-offs.html Police Commissioner Ken Lay will meet with petrol industry bosses within a week to intensify the force's push for prepaid petrol. Mr Lay has long wanted people to pay before they pump fuel to eradicate petrol drive-offs and number plate theft. The offences consume thousands of hours of police time each year. In Victoria there... Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-bandits-rob-service-station-on-woodward-street--orange.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-bandits-rob-service-station-on-woodward-street--orange.html Two bandits armed with an iron bar burst into a service station on Woodward Street, Orange about 10.30pm last night. The offenders had their faces concealed and threatened the 35-year-old male attendant with the weapon before demanding he lie on the floor. The bandits then jumped the counter, stole cash before and fled with the... Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-buyers-opting-for-net-spending.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-buyers-opting-for-net-spending.html Online spending has jumped by a quarter to a record $11.7 billion over the past year, as internet businesses encroach further onto the turf of traditional retailers. NAB yesterday reported a strong bounce in online spending in July, with international retailers experiencing the fastest growth. ''Bricks and mortar''... Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-curbs-reach-internet.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-curbs-reach-internet.html New restrictions on the online advertising of tobacco products will come into effect this week as the federal government looks at ways to drive down the number of smokers. Online tobacco advertisements will be largely banned from Thursday as the internet becomes subject to the same limits as other types of media. "These changes... Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/older-workers-leading-the-way-in-employment-growth.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/older-workers-leading-the-way-in-employment-growth.html Workers who have turned 55 can rest more easily. Treasury calculations to be released today show they are more likely than ever to hang on to their jobs. The Treasurer, Wayne Swan, will tell a Sydney conference that employment rates among mature-age workers have grown solidly for the past 10 years and particularly strongly during the... Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/we-re-buying-again--but-with-a-frown.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/we-re-buying-again--but-with-a-frown.html Australians are spending again at restaurants, cafes and department stores but they're not exactly whistling as they shop, with depressed consumer confidence and entrenched pessimism leading a new report to depict consumers as ''shopping with a frown''. Research from Deloitte Access Economics on the state of and... Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-law-bans-discount-fuel-price-signs.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-law-bans-discount-fuel-price-signs.html A new law has come into effect which prevents New South Wales petrol stations from displaying discounted fuel prices. Under the new requirement, petrol price boards must show the cost of two of its top-selling fuels as well as LPG and diesel. While the law is now in force, petrol stations have 12 months to comply. New South Wales... Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-explosion-shuts-down-newtown.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gas-explosion-shuts-down-newtown.html A busy inner-city street is in lockdown and homes and businesses have been evacuated after a fire erupted at a service station. Gas-fuelled flames are shooting from the site in King Street, Newtown, near the corner of Alice Street. King Street is closed between Enmore Road and St Peters railway station, and a 150m radius exclusion... Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-tobacco-brands-to-target-teens-to-shore-up-smoking-rates-as-plain-packaging-bites.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/big-tobacco-brands-to-target-teens-to-shore-up-smoking-rates-as-plain-packaging-bites.html Cigarette companies will ramp up their fight to attract more teenagers using marketing tactics to prevent smoking rates from falling, experts warn. Their tactics will target teenagers and include reduced prices, sexier names and flavour variations, and their preferred brand would always be in stock. Associate Professor Jenni... Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/greens-call-for-tas-electric-car-industry.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/greens-call-for-tas-electric-car-industry.html A greens candidate has put electric cars at the centre of her bid to unseat federal government minister Julie Collins in the southern Tasmanian seat of Franklin. Rosalie Woodruff, a renowned epidemiologist and local councillor, arrived at a media conference on Wednesday in a converted Daihatsu Charade. Dr Woodruff says the state can... Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/senate-sets-sights-on-supermarket-duopoly--xenophon-demands-more.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/senate-sets-sights-on-supermarket-duopoly--xenophon-demands-more.html The recently released Senate Select Committee report examining Australia’s food processing sector has made 35 key recommendations as to how the industry can be improved and made more sustainable. However, some senators felt that the recommendations did not go far enough, with a minority report making a further three... Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-supermarket-chain-embroiled-in-racist-job-ad-row.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-supermarket-chain-embroiled-in-racist-job-ad-row.html Australian supermarket giant Coles is at the centre of a row after an ad for cleaners at one of its stores stipulated no Asians and no Indians. Coles says the ad was placed by a sub-contractor, who is now no longer working for the supermarket chain. It appeared on the free classifieds website Gumtree, and called for experienced staff... Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/violent-servo-robber-whipped-with-dog-leash.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/violent-servo-robber-whipped-with-dog-leash.html Footage of a violent northside aggravated robbery shows a service station attendant smashed in the head repeatedly with a tyre iron, before a passer-by intervenes and chases the alleged offender from the scene while whipping him with a dog leash. The aggravated robbery took place at the Caltex station in Kaleen last Friday, about... Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gold-coast-service-station-robbed-in-the-morning---and-again-at-night---in-series-of-robberies.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gold-coast-service-station-robbed-in-the-morning---and-again-at-night---in-series-of-robberies.html A service station robbed early yesterday was robbed again last night by a different bandit as police dealt with a spate of armed hold-ups. The service station hit by two hold-ups in one day was among a number of Queensland businesses hit by robbers. At about 2am Tuesday a man walked into a service station on Broadwater Road, Runaway... Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/billson-bats-for-small-business.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/billson-bats-for-small-business.html Small business is being hindered by ''absolutely useless'' unfair-dismissal rules, according to Coalition frontbencher Bruce Billson. Mr Billson, who is shadow small business minister, told Sky News yesterday the government had failed to provide a simple unfair-dismissals process for small businesses. ''That... Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/blacktown-police-news.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/blacktown-police-news.html A service station worker was punched and kicked by a youth when he tried to stop a girl from walking out with a packet of chips without paying for it at Doonside. Police said the incident happened at Doonside Road at 6.05pm last Wednesday when a girl aged about 17 walked into a service station, picked up a packet of chips and walked... Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/runaway-bay-service-station-robbed.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/runaway-bay-service-station-robbed.html Police are investigating after a Runaway Bay service station was held up early this morning. Police say around 2am a man threatened the store attendant with a knife before fleeing on foot with money and cigarettes. No one was physically injured in the incident. The man is described as being in his 20s or 30s with a slim build and... Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stopping-tobacco-harm-personal-to-roxon.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stopping-tobacco-harm-personal-to-roxon.html While Attorney-General Nicola Roxon hasn't pursued cigarette companies solely because of her father's death from tobacco-related cancer, she's proud she might have stopped other families suffering the same thing. Ms Roxon, as health minister and in her current role, spearheaded the federal government's push to make plain... Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-giant-caltex-commits-to-brisbane-refinery.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-giant-caltex-commits-to-brisbane-refinery.html Caltex Australia says it is committed to its remaining refinery despite growing competition from Asia and the Middle East. The energy group said yesterday it expected the profitability of its last refinery, in Brisbane's Lytton, to come under pressure from the increased capacity in overseas markets. But the group said it made... Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/plain-cigarette-packs-whack.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/plain-cigarette-packs-whack.html And next Saturday, the duty-free limit on cigarettes will be slashed from 250 to 50. Under the new rules, individuals selling tobacco in non-compliant packaging face fines of $1320 to $220,000. A corporation risks penalties of $6600 to $1.1 million. The crackdown will save the Government $600 million over four years, as travellers,... Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tapwater-sold-as-bottled-water-gets-180-000-per-cent-mark-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tapwater-sold-as-bottled-water-gets-180-000-per-cent-mark-up.html Millions of unsuspecting customers are buying filtered tap water and boiled rainwater at massive mark-ups of more than 180,000 per cent. Several manufacturers admit they fill their bottles from the Sydney Water mains after applying filtration and purification procedures - but they insist customers know their water is not sourced from a... Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hunt-for-blond-wigged--cross-dressing-male-bandit.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hunt-for-blond-wigged--cross-dressing-male-bandit.html Police are on the hunt for a cross-dressing bandit who held up a petrol station in a coastal town west of Melbourne on Friday afternoon. The man, sporting a long blonde wig, black dress and stockings approached the counter of the business in Mill Road, Lara, about 1.30pm. He produced a knife and demanded cash and cigarettes from a female... Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-lifts-first-half-profit.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-lifts-first-half-profit.html Caltex Australia's first half net profit has grown by 74 per cent due to better margins from its refinery operations and marketing of petrol. Caltex on Monday said its net profit in the six months to June 30, on a replacement cost basis, was $197 million, up from $113 million in the previous corresponding period. Replacement cost... Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-wants-its-cut-of-cut-price-petrol.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-wants-its-cut-of-cut-price-petrol.html US retailer Costco is seeking to break into Australia's $15 billion-plus discount petrol business, currently dominated by Woolworths and Coles, by selling its own heavily reduced fuel at prices below those offered via popular supermarket shopper-docket schemes. Costco, which operates a warehouse store in each of Melbourne, Sydney and... Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shoppers-rally-for-little-guys.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/shoppers-rally-for-little-guys.html The battle of the small corner shops taking on the giant supermarket chains is set to continue. A joint venture between Hill Street Grocer stores and Tasmanian-owned Bennetts Petroleum petrol stations has been deemed a roaring success. Customers who spend $50 or more at the stores get a 10c-a-litre fuel discount voucher to use at... Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/men-arrested-after-driving-car-into-petrol-station-staff.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/men-arrested-after-driving-car-into-petrol-station-staff.html Two men have been arrested after driving a car into petrol station staff in Greensborough. Greensborough police Sgt Allen O'Donnell said attendants at the BP station on Grimshaw St called police after noticing the men were driving a car with no number plates at 10.15am on August 21. Police told the men, one from Craigieburn and... Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stations-bringing-honesty-on-petrol.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/stations-bringing-honesty-on-petrol.html Petrol stations will be banned from displaying supermarket discount prices on their fuel boards and will be required to show all petrol prices - not just the cheaper E-10 - from next month. Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts met petrol firms and supermarket representatives yesterday to brief them on the changes, saying they were... Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-worker-stabbed-in-failed-robbery-at-bayswater.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-worker-stabbed-in-failed-robbery-at-bayswater.html A man has been stabbed in an attempted robbery in Melbourne's east. The victim was working at a service station on Bayswater Rd in Bayswater when he was attacked about 3am today. His attacker entered the store and demanded cash. He then leant over the counter and stabbed the victim in the chest before fleeing the store empty... Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ram-raiders-rip-atm-from-wall-in-kilmore.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ram-raiders-rip-atm-from-wall-in-kilmore.html Thieves used a stolen excavator to smash down a service station wall and rip out an ATM in Kilmore. Detectives from Mitchell criminal investigation unit are investigating the ram-raid burglary, which happened early this morning. It is alleged the excavator was stolen from a nearby building site on Glanville Drive around 2am. ... Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/four-n-twenty-expands-product-range-to-combat-market-pressure.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/four-n-twenty-expands-product-range-to-combat-market-pressure.html Iconic Aussie pie maker Four’N Twenty is diversifying its product range, as the pressure of the supermarket price wars increases and food manufacturing jobs continue to be lost. Four’N Twenty’s parent brand Patties Foods said last month that the ever-increasing number of private label products in supermarkets will... Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fire-at-sydney-petrol-station-after-explosion.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fire-at-sydney-petrol-station-after-explosion.html Firefighters have put out a blaze at Liverpool in Sydney after four 200-litre gas cylinders exploded at a petrol station. A nearby KFC and Aldi supermarket were evacuated after a fire broke out at the BP service station on Hoxton Park Rd at 1.30pm (AEST). There are no reports of injuries at this stage and the cause of the fire is... Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/men-flee-as-women-face-music.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/men-flee-as-women-face-music.html An arrest warrant has been issued for two South Australian men who fled from a vehicle being pursued by local police, leaving two female passengers to face the music. On Saturday evening, the driver of the vehicle had driven from the Shell service station in Craiglie with $100 in unpaid fuel, but police were able to identify the driver... Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/submission-to-nsw-fair-trading-on-petrol-price-boards.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/submission-to-nsw-fair-trading-on-petrol-price-boards.html On 24 July 2012 ACAPMA sent a submission to the NSW Fair Trading Commissioner in relation to the Fair Trading Regulations 2012, namely the draft Division 3 – Fuel price signs of the Fair Trading 2012. Due to commence on 1 September 2012, the draft regulations state that all NSW petrol stations must display the normal price without... Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hidden-hand-of-big-tobacco-leads-to-wto-challenge.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hidden-hand-of-big-tobacco-leads-to-wto-challenge.html Big tobacco has opened a new front in its war against Australia's plain packaging law. The World Trade Organisation has revealed that within hours of the government's victory in the High Court, Ukraine upgraded to formal a complaint against Australia's law and demanded the establishment of a disputes panel. Australia will... Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alleged-thief-gets--young-blokes-in-jail--warning.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/alleged-thief-gets--young-blokes-in-jail--warning.html A magistrate gave a young armed robber a stark warning about "what happens to young blokes in jail" when she released him on bail yesterday. Rhys Johnathan Westerland, 20, from Guildford, faced Parramatta Bail Court after allegedly holding up a shop attendant at the United petrol station at Bonnyrigg, in Sydney's... Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/us-retailers-launch-payment-app.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/us-retailers-launch-payment-app.html Some of the biggest US retailers including Wal-Mart, Best-Buy and Target Corp, are teaming up to create a company that will give customers another way to make purchases with their mobile devices. The businesses said the new company, Merchant Customer Exchange, was developing a mobile application that will be available for nearly any... Fri, 17 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-owner-charged-over-blaze.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/service-station-owner-charged-over-blaze.html The owner of a service station in the state’s central west who claimed he was gagged and bound while his business was set alight has been charged with starting the blaze, police say. The fire on May 19 completely destroyed the service station at Mount Lambie, on the Great Western Highway between Bathurst and Lithgow, and caused an... Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/motorcyclist-dies-in-petrol-tanker-crash.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/motorcyclist-dies-in-petrol-tanker-crash.html A motorcyclist has died after colliding with a B-double petrol tanker in Melbourne's north. Police believe the 25-year-old male rider, from Ashwood, hit the petrol tanker as it was attempting to turn right onto Sydney Road from Cooper Street in Somerton about 5pm (AEST) on Wednesday. He died in the ambulance on the way to Royal... Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ford-to-invest--135m-in-battery-systems-for-ev--hybrids.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/ford-to-invest--135m-in-battery-systems-for-ev--hybrids.html Ford Motor, which plans to launch five electric cars this year, said it will invest $135 million in advanced battery systems and related components for its hybrid-electric vehicles. Ford said it is also doubling its battery-testing capabilities by 2013 to 160 individual battery-test channels as it aims to accelerate the hybrid and... Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-great-minds-confirmed-to-present-at-the-cfic.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/more-great-minds-confirmed-to-present-at-the-cfic.html The Convenience Fuel and Industry Conference (CFIC) to be held in Melbourne from 11 until 14 September 2012, has confirmed some of the highest quality speakers in the industry. The CFIC has recently announced great speakers including Penny Bourke, Director of Essence Communications, and Stephen Mayne, creator of the Mayne Report. ... Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-wins-on-tobacco-packaging.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-wins-on-tobacco-packaging.html Four multinational tobacco companies have lost their quest to stub out the Gillard Government's plain packaging laws. British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, Philip Morris and Imperial Tobacco took their fight against the drab green boxes - designed to deter smokers - to the full bench of the High Court in April. ... Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-giant-costco-finalises-its-plans-for-warehouse-at-north-lakes-business-park.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retail-giant-costco-finalises-its-plans-for-warehouse-at-north-lakes-business-park.html Despite objections from several North Lakes retailers, Moreton Bay Regional Council has approved final plans for a Costco outlet in the region. Costco is a membership warehouse club that offers brand name merchandise, including groceries, appliances, automotive products, hardware, jewellery and furniture, at discounted prices. The... Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/on-fire-suspect-runs-from--450-000-blaze-at-south-plympton.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/on-fire-suspect-runs-from--450-000-blaze-at-south-plympton.html A burning man was seen running from the scene of a $450,000 service station blaze in an Adelaide inner-south suburb this morning. Police are investigating whether a 28-year-old Woodville man - later hospitalised with life-threatening burns - was involved in the blaze that destroyed the Liberty service station on Cross Rd, South... Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-heist-busted.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-heist-busted.html It was like a scene from a Hollywood movie when Corio police opened the back of a rental truck to discover an $18,000 petrol heist at the weekend. Sergeant Greg Taylor said good, old-fashioned police work helped sniff out the theft, which occurred at the 24-hour Caltex self-serve station on the corner of Harpur and Melbourne roads,... Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/move-to-clean-fuels-gives-flannery-hope.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/move-to-clean-fuels-gives-flannery-hope.html The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit higher levels this year "than at any time in the last 800,000 years", there was "unprecedented melting" of the Greenland icecap and the US was experiencing a drought and heatwaves not seen since "the infamous Dust Bowl years" of the 1930s. But in an upbeat... Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/producers-dispel-biofuel-price-fears.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/producers-dispel-biofuel-price-fears.html Leading ethanol producers have rejected concerns that local motorists will face higher pump prices as the severe drought in the United States pushes up prices for corn. The Australian Financial Review reports that about 40 per cent of last year's US corn crop went into ethanol as a result of a government mandate for its use in... Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-after-trying-to-spark-a-fire-at-a-toukley-petrol-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/man-charged-after-trying-to-spark-a-fire-at-a-toukley-petrol-station.html A man has been charged after allegedly trying to start a fire at Toukley petrol station. About 8.30pm last Thursday a 39-year-old man closed the service station at the intersection of Fravent St and Main Rd and was driving off when he noticed a group of men, with one of the four allegedly hitting his car. The man drove back and was... Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/distribution-move-to-save-woolies-millions.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/distribution-move-to-save-woolies-millions.html WOOLWORTHS has opened a $64 million distribution centre in western Sydney to supply its supermarkets, Big W and Masters Hardware chains in a move expected to save tens of millions of dollars. Woolies logistics and customer boss Penny Winn said Big W's NSW operations had previously been supplied from warehouses in South Australia and... Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/electric-car-sales-lose-spark-around-the-world-and-in-australia.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/electric-car-sales-lose-spark-around-the-world-and-in-australia.html Sales of electric vehicles have been so slow that Mitsubishi has temporarily halted production of two cars. The slow global take-up of EVs has been mirrored in Australia, with only 18 sold privately this year and 45 sold to government and business. After sales of less than 1000 each, Mitsubishi has now temporarily stopped producing... Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vta-hits-the-road-to-meet-the-locals.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/vta-hits-the-road-to-meet-the-locals.html The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) will host regional breakfast workshops in Victoria over three months to provide information and advice to transport and logistics companies. VTA CEO Neil Chambers says the team will begin visiting towns at the end of August to inform companies about the latest regulatory issues and business... Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/from-subway-to-airport.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/from-subway-to-airport.html   British supermarket chain Tesco has launched its infamous Korean subway concept into London's Gatwick airport. The launch, aptly timed for the 2012 London Olympics, features 10 screens in the airport's departure lounge with images of Tesco's most popular products. Much like the Korean subway roll-out, potential... Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/contaminated-petrol-shuts-kiama-bowser.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/contaminated-petrol-shuts-kiama-bowser.html A failed underground pipe allowed water to seep into fuel at Kiama’s only petrol station, causing damage to at least 10 cars which refuelled there on Saturday. An NRMA spokesman confirmed that the motorists’ organisation had responded to 10 call-outs in the Kiama area from members reporting problems ‘‘related to... Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-steals-from-emu-plains-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robber-steals-from-emu-plains-service-station.html A man with a firearm stole cash and threatened an employee at an Emu Plains service station this morning. He entered the service station on the Great Western Highway at about 12.20am. The man demanded cash, which the employee handed to him, before running from the premises. No one was hurt during the robbery. The man was... Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-station-drive-off.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-station-drive-off.html GIN GIN Police are investigating a petrol station drive-off from earlier today. Bundaberg Criminal Investigation Branch Detective Senior Sergeant Joe Hildred said a man fuelled his white Mitsubishi ute at the BP Service Station on Mulgrave St about 3am, and then entered the store and bought a coffee. Det Snr Sgt Hildred said the man... Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/knife-wielding-man-hits-service-stations.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/knife-wielding-man-hits-service-stations.html The same man, armed with a large knife, is believed responsible for raids on two north-eastern suburbs service stations overnight. In the first incident, a man armed with a large knife entered the Liberty service station on the corner of Main North and Kesters roads, Para Hills West, just after midnight. He threatened a staff member,... Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-looking-to-source-new-deals-in-the-australian-market.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-looking-to-source-new-deals-in-the-australian-market.html With the opening of another Melbourne store set for late 2013, the retailing giant Costco's commitment to using local Australian produce will see a demand for additional new suppliers. This is a welcome opportunity for Australian food businesses. A substantial number of local producers are already benefitting from... Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inferno-closes-bruce-hwy.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/inferno-closes-bruce-hwy.html Bruce Hwy traffic was sent into chaos yesterday morning after a petrol tanker carrying 30,000l of fuel erupted into a fireball. The truck's driver was lucky to escape with his life after his rig clipped a guard rail 3km north of Maryborough yesterday, then rolled into a ditch as flames took hold. He smashed a window with a fire... Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/beer-better-than-milk-for-lion-bottom-line.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/beer-better-than-milk-for-lion-bottom-line.html Dairy and drinks processor Lion is blaming retail discounting and thrifty consumers for a significant drop in profits. Lion's half-year earnings were down 27 per cent on last year, at $49.8 million. The company has lost private label milk contracts with Woolworths and lost market share for its milk brands. "We are... Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pair-robs-service-station.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pair-robs-service-station.html Police are investigating a stealing with violence incident at a service station on Cohoe Street at Toowoomba last night. Preliminary investigations suggests two men entered the service station around 11.10pm and removed a drink can from the fridge, before approaching the store attendant and throwing it at him, striking him in the... Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-search-for-petrol-thief.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-search-for-petrol-thief.html Police are looking for a white Mitsubishi ute which drove away from a Highfields service station without paying for fuel this morning. A spokesman said the four-wheel-drive vehicle drove away without paying for a $246 top up at the Shell Coles Express about 8.30am. The vehicle was described as having a bullbar. Anyone with... Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-chairman-calls-for-retail-rules-revamp.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-chairman-calls-for-retail-rules-revamp.html The competition watchdog is working with supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths on a streamlined approval process that could make it easier for them to buy independent supermarkets and liquor stores. Speaking at the NAB National Small Business Summit in Melbourne yesterday, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod... Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/trucking-told-to-factor-in-carbon-tax-now.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/trucking-told-to-factor-in-carbon-tax-now.html The trucking industry will feel the sting of the carbon tax before 2014, according to an advisory firm, which has warned operators to act now to protect their margins. The carbon tax began on July 1 but the trucking industry was given a two-year exemption. The tax will apply to operators on July 1, 2014 through an increase in the fuel... Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/teens-use-poles--sticks-and-broken-bottles-in-hold-up.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/teens-use-poles--sticks-and-broken-bottles-in-hold-up.html Two teenagers are on the run and two others have been arrested following a convenience store hold-up in Brisbane last night. The gang allegedly threatened a Calamvale convenience store worker with poles, sticks and broken bottles before stealing merchandise about 10.15pm. Police tracked two boys, both aged 15, to a nearby house a... Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cigarette-plain-packaging-finds-favour-in-new-york.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/cigarette-plain-packaging-finds-favour-in-new-york.html In the face of fierce opposition to plain-pack cigarettes from some American politicians, Australia's Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek, has found high-profile allies. Among them is the New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, who was ''terrifically enthusiastic'' about the cigarette plan when Ms Plibersek called on him. ... Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/algae-fuels--4m-investment-in-region.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/algae-fuels--4m-investment-in-region.html To many people, algae is just an annoying green growth in pools and ponds, best treated with some chlorine. To Roger Stroud, it is the essential ingredient to create sustainable fuels such as bio-diesel and jet fuel. The executive chairman of Algae.Tec will be in the Shoalhaven tomorrow for the official commissioning of... Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-to-raise--300-million-through-an-asx-listed-notes-issue.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-to-raise--300-million-through-an-asx-listed-notes-issue.html Caltex Australia Limited (“Caltex”) today announced an offer of Caltex Subordinated Notes (“Notes”) to raise $300 million, with the ability to raise more or less (the “Offer”). The Notes are dated, direct, unsecured, subordinated, and cumulative in nature. Caltex today lodged a Prospectus... Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-and-le-cornu-site-works-boost-retail.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/costco-and-le-cornu-site-works-boost-retail.html Bulk-buy retailer Costco plans to open the first of up to three stores in Adelaide as early as next year. The US warehouse wholesaler is negotiating to secure a 5ha site for its first store, which it says will open up opportunities for local food manufacturers and growers. In another retail boon for the city, property developer Lang... Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/three-armed-men-smash-way-into-wyee-servo-with-an-axe.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/three-armed-men-smash-way-into-wyee-servo-with-an-axe.html Anyone with information about the attempted armed robbery is being urged to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Police are appealing for witnesses after three armed men allegedly armed with an axe smashed their way into a service station at Wyee. A male employee was sitting behind the front counter at the United service station at... Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/men-charged-after-convenience-store-robbed-at-knife-point.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/men-charged-after-convenience-store-robbed-at-knife-point.html Two men have been charged after a convenience store was allegedly robbed at knife-point in Pendle Hill on Friday night. An employee at the convenience store on Wentworth Avenue was allegedly threatened with a knife about 11.45pm, Friday, July 27. Police said the men allegedly held the knife to the employee’s throat and he... Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-convenience-store-bandits.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-convenience-store-bandits.html Police are searching for two men after a woman was assaulted during a robbery at a Townsville convenience store last night. Police allege a man stole a four-wheel drive at knife-point, at West End, just after 10:30am (AEST) yesterday. Two men then robbed a convenience store at Thuringowa about 6:30pm last night. It is alleged one... Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-cars-the-way-of-the-future.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-cars-the-way-of-the-future.html The popularity of diesel-powered vehicles will continue to rise around Queensland as unleaded petrol becomes more expensive, RACQ researchers have predicted. RACQ technical researcher John Ewing said Queensland families would turn to more fuel-efficient diesel vehicles during the petrol crisis. "Diesel vehicles are becoming... Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-no-legal-barriers--to-canberra-forcing-roadhouses-to-sell-opal.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/-no-legal-barriers--to-canberra-forcing-roadhouses-to-sell-opal.html There are no barriers to the government legislating to force roadhouses near Aboriginal communities in the grip of petrol sniffing to sell Opal fuel, despite claims to the contrary by a federal minister. About 10 such retailers have been criticised for allowing petrol sniffing to continue. After completing a study last week into a... Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunting-colac-petrol-station-robber.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunting-colac-petrol-station-robber.html Police are hunting for an armed robber who held up a Colac service station last night. Around 7pm a man, possibly in his 30s, wearing a blue balaclava over his head entered the Colac west BP, on the corner of Rossmoyne Road and Princes Highway, and told the female attendant he had a knife. The offender calmly demanded cash and fled... Sun, 29 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-threatens-legal-action.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolworths-threatens-legal-action.html Woolworths has threatened the Australian Workers Union with legal action over a campaign that mocks and attacks the supermarket's 'Australianness'. The AWU launched the 'Tell Woolworths' campaign to pressure the supermarket giant over a decision by Caltex to close its Kurnell oil refinery in Sydney, with a loss of up... Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-needs-to-debate-with-truckies--twu.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-needs-to-debate-with-truckies--twu.html The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has attacked Coles for putting truck drivers' safety at risk, saying it wants the supermarket giant to take part in a public debate on the issue. TWU secretary Tony Sheldon was speaking in Sydney on Thursday, a day after about 20 union members gathered outside a Coles store on Sydney's George... Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/use-refinery-closures-to-increase-supply-competition.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/use-refinery-closures-to-increase-supply-competition.html Independent small-to-medium operators in the Australian fuel industry consider the announcement by Caltex to close the Kurnell Refinery was inevitable and should be the catalyst to increase competition in the supply of fuel. The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA), which represents petroleum distributors... Thu, 26 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-provides-new-support-for-retailers-and-invests-in-the-future-of-small-business.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-provides-new-support-for-retailers-and-invests-in-the-future-of-small-business.html Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business Louise Asher today announced a new $6 million four year program to provide targeted assistance to retailers, at the launch of the Victorian Coalition Government's 2012 Small Business Festival. "The Coalition Government will partner with councils and business... Thu, 26 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-announces-supply-chain-restructuring.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/caltex-announces-supply-chain-restructuring.html Caltex Managing Director and CEO, Julian Segal, today announced that the Board approved the restructuring of Caltex’s supply chain following a major review of its operations with particular focus on the company’s refineries. The major components of the supply chain restructuring include: The continued investment in... Thu, 26 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-sniffing-problem-fuels-fiery-criticism.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-sniffing-problem-fuels-fiery-criticism.html Indigenous Health Minister Warren Snowdon says it is alarming that some petrol stations are still refusing to sell low-aromatic fuel to curb petrol sniffing in remote indigenous communities. A Senate Committee inquiry has been in Alice Springs to examine a Greens' push to make the sale of Opal fuel in problem areas compulsory. Mr... Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/verve-oil-spill--threat-to-sound-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/verve-oil-spill--threat-to-sound-.html Environmental authorities and police are investigating claims of sabotage after more than half a million litres of oil leaked from a storage tank metres from environmentally sensitive Cockburn Sound. The diesel oil leaked from a Kwinana storage tank owned by electricity generator Verve Energy on June 30. The Department... Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-ready-to-crack-down-on-carbon-cheats.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-ready-to-crack-down-on-carbon-cheats.html The consumer watchdog wants people to dob in businesses that use Labor's controversial carbon tax to gouge customers on price. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) earlier this month launched a carbon price hotline and online claims form for people who fear they're being ripped off. The commission... Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/laws-urged-to-stop-cross-border-petrol-sniffing.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/laws-urged-to-stop-cross-border-petrol-sniffing.html Alice Springs social workers say the Queensland Government could do more to reduce rates of petrol sniffing in a Northern Territory community near the border. Blair McFarland from the Central Australian Youth Link Up Service estimates only about 20 young people are still sniffing in the southern half of the NT. He says half of them... Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-target-pine-rivers--fuel-thieves.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-target-pine-rivers--fuel-thieves.html Police will be working with service station operators to reduce the number of people filling up and driving off without paying. Petrie Police Sergeant Peter Long (pictured) said there were 261 incidents of fuel theft recorded in the area in the first six months of this year. But police are now hoping the new approach will help reduce... Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truck-rollover--bruce-highway--mackay.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truck-rollover--bruce-highway--mackay.html A B-double truck has rolled on the Bruce Highway this morning causing significant traffic delays around Mackay. The truck carrying diesel fuel rolled at around 5.20am, near the showgrounds. No one was injured during the incident. The southbound lanes are currently closed, and are expected to remain so for most of the morning... Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-robbed-at-knife-point.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-robbed-at-knife-point.html A female petrol station attendant in Burnie was threatened with a knife in a brazen armed robbery yesterday morning. A man entered the BP North Terrace about 5.45am Sunday morning and demanded cash from the sole attendant, while brandishing a knife. Police were alerted via a 000 call a short time after. Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies--accc-at-loggerheads-on-deals.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/woolies--accc-at-loggerheads-on-deals.html The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has cleared Woolworths' acquisition of another hotel, but relations between the competition regulator and major supermarkets remain tense ahead of a crackdown on creeping acquisitions. Chairman Rod Sims said yesterday the competition regulator had not been able to reach... Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-pours-millions-into-online-retail-study.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/government-pours-millions-into-online-retail-study.html The Federal Government has committed $2.1 million to studying Australians' online retail spending habits, and how online sales might be affecting bricks and mortar stores. The funding will be provided over four years to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to study spending data from both local and overseas online retailers as... Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/biofuels-plant-to-convert-seaweed-to-fuel.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/biofuels-plant-to-convert-seaweed-to-fuel.html The world's first industrial plant producing biofuels from seaweed will be built in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco in late 2013, the official in charge of the project said Thursday. The factory to be set up by Austrian firm SAT on a sugar cane plantation that yields ethanol, will produce 1.2 million liters of... Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-welcomes-accc-docket-inquiry.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-welcomes-accc-docket-inquiry.html The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association has in the past asked the ACCC, at what level and over what period of time will petrol price promotions be considered a breach of the Consumer and Competition Act? Well the answer looks to be, now is the time. The ACCC have announced that it will conduct an... Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sme-dilemma--are-contractors-employees-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/sme-dilemma--are-contractors-employees-.html Small-to-medium operators in the convenience and petroleum marketing industry are being warned that contractors can be deemed as employees, triggering unfair dismissal claims. This concern has been raised after Fair Work Australia ruled that an employer had over 15 employees, even though many were considered contractors by the company. ... Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-agm--melbourne-13-september-2012.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-agm--melbourne-13-september-2012.html Members of the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) are reminded that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in Melbourne as part of the Convenience and Fuel Industry Conference, 11-14 September 2012. “The AGM is a chance for members to get involved in the operation of their... Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pcc-delivers-compliance-for-western-australia.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pcc-delivers-compliance-for-western-australia.html Thanks to the latest round of Petroleum Convenience Compliance (PCC) courses in Perth this week, more and more frontline petrol convenience staff and their employers are meeting industry statutory and safety obligations. The PCC, part of the ACAPMAcademy Industry Learning Solutions, has been developed as an industry specific... Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/brand-new-savings-arrive-at-supermarkets-as-private-non-branded-labels-blur-line.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/brand-new-savings-arrive-at-supermarkets-as-private-non-branded-labels-blur-line.html Expect to cut even more off your grocery bill, as experts predict a ramping up of aggressive supermarket competition after an 85 per cent rise in sales of non-branded items in the past five years. A new report by research firm IBISWorld has found that more Australians will turn to private labels in the next five years, which would drive... Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-bid-at-wto-to-halt-plain-tobacco-packaging.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-bid-at-wto-to-halt-plain-tobacco-packaging.html The Dominican Republic has added its name to a growing list of countries opposing Australia's plans for plain cigarette packaging. Lodging its dispute with the World Trade Organisation (WT) in Geneva, the Dominican Republic has requested talks with Australia "on certain measures concerning trademarks, geographical indications... Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pollies-back-cheap-fuel-probe.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pollies-back-cheap-fuel-probe.html Both sides of politics have backed a competition probe that could put an end to deeply discounted petrol offers from supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is investigating the retailers' use of "shopper docket" schemes, which generally reward supermarket shoppers who... Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-to-review-grocers--fuel-discount-schemes.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/accc-to-review-grocers--fuel-discount-schemes.html The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is launching an investigation into fuel price wars that have resulted in deep petrol discounts of as much as 40 cents a litre, according to The Australian. The downward pressure on prices resulting from the price war among petrol rivals has saved motorists an estimated $400... Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/overseas-buyers-likely-to-rule-roost-in-inghams-sale.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/overseas-buyers-likely-to-rule-roost-in-inghams-sale.html The Australian chicken producer Inghams is likely to fall into foreign hands in a sale that is expected to fetch about $1.6 billion. The company's sole shareholder, the Ingham family patriarch Bob Ingham, 81, yesterday put the business on the market in a sale process to be managed by the investment bank Investec. With a sale to... Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/milk-to-be-permeate-free--food-chains.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/milk-to-be-permeate-free--food-chains.html Woolworths and Coles say their private-label milk will become free of permeate, a watery waste product from the production of cheese. The shift follows a report by The Age revealing that milk from National Foods - home of popular milk brands Pura and Dairy Farmers, and supplier to both supermarkets - contained up to 16 per cent... Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/private-labels-hurt-iconic-pie.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/private-labels-hurt-iconic-pie.html Shoppers stuffing their supermarket trolleys with private-label pies and desserts, along with an unexpected downturn in corporate entertaining, have blunted the profit growth of the maker of the iconic Four'N Twenty meat pies. Patties Foods, which owns a portfolio of food brands including Patties, Herbert Adams, Nanna's and... Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/brumby-s-let-off-hook-after-carbon-misfire.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/brumby-s-let-off-hook-after-carbon-misfire.html Brumby’s has escaped a hefty fine over its carbon tax misfire, instead entering into an undertaking with the consumer watchdog. The bakery chain’s parent company, Retail Food Group, was forced to issue a prompt apology after its managing director, Deane Priest - who has since resigned - wrote to franchisees suggesting that... Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/energy-drinks--a-trigger-for-heart-attacks-and-stroke-.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/energy-drinks--a-trigger-for-heart-attacks-and-stroke-.html   When a 17-year-old girl, with a potentially life-threatening heart disorder, recently presented to me with an abnormally fast and irregular heart rhythm, I wondered how the natural history of her disease could so abruptly lead to a potentially fatal electrical rhythm disturbance. Until I questioned her more about the moments... Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery--carina.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery--carina.html Police are investigating the armed robbery of a Carina convenience store early this morning. Around 1.10, two men entered the Creek Road store armed with hockey sticks and threatened the male staff member. The men fled the scene after stealing a sum of cash. No one was harmed during the incident. The first man is described as... Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/transparency-for-motorists.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/transparency-for-motorists.html A NSW Fair Trading survey won't result in cheaper fuel but it will help improve mandated fuel price signs across the state. People are being encouraged to participate in the survey so a new standard can be established which will provide greater transparency for motorists choosing fuel. The survey forms part of a project to... Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-says-retailing-is-more-competitive.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-says-retailing-is-more-competitive.html Supermarket operator Coles says the retail landscape is getting more competitive as big overseas retailers move into the Australian market, but Coles won't be expanding internationally at this stage. Coles managing director Ian McLeod made the comments in an address to the Australian British Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, not long... Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/golden-square-united-petroleum-water-leak-damages-cars.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/golden-square-united-petroleum-water-leak-damages-cars.html A leaking water pipe at Golden Square United Petroleum service station has caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to cars, after it spilt into the fuel supply of a petrol bowser. At least five drivers who filled up at the bowser last Wednesday afternoon were forced to get their cars serviced after water entered their petrol... Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/price-board-reform-must-consider-independents.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/price-board-reform-must-consider-independents.html Independent small-to-medium operators in the fuel industry are warning the Government and the ACCC, that any regulations to mandate standards for price boards need to address the misleading and anti-competitive behaviour of petrol promotions, and not be catchall legislation that will harm their business. The Australasian Convenience and... Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-fumes-cancer-link.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-fumes-cancer-link.html Upper Hunter residents and health professionals have demanded a new investigation into the potential health effects of diesel fumes following research that identifies a definite link between the fumes and cancer. The World Health Organisation recently elevated diesel fumes to the category of a "known carcinogen" from its... Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-drive-offs-fuel-servo-anger.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/petrol-drive-offs-fuel-servo-anger.html A Kalgoorlie-Boulder petrol station owner says he and other businesses are being hit hard by a rise in fuel thefts in the region. Mark Atkins owns two service stations in the city and says he has had about $600 stolen from him in recent months. He says other owners in the area have also reported a significant rise in the amount of... Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/natalie-roberts-joins-team-of-experts-for-future-of-transport-fuels-session-at-the-cfic-2012.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/natalie-roberts-joins-team-of-experts-for-future-of-transport-fuels-session-at-the-cfic-2012.html Natalie Roberts, Principle Engineering Consultant at ABMARC, will join Ford and a team of experts to discuss the Future of Transport Fuels as part of the Convenience and Fuel Industry Conference (CFIC) 2012.  Natalie has worked for the world’s two largest automotive OEMs in strategic powertrain and energy planning, and has... Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/holden-partners-with-better-place-for-volt-ev-charging-service.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/holden-partners-with-better-place-for-volt-ev-charging-service.html Holden has confirmed a new partnership with charging infrastructure company Better Place, marking a key step in the launch of its upcoming $59,990 Volt electric vehicle. The deal means that while the first charging station at its Port Melbourne headquarters was installed by ChargePoint, new Volt buyers will be offered a number of Better... Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rocky-road-ahead-for-darrell-lea-staff.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/rocky-road-ahead-for-darrell-lea-staff.html More than 700 retail and manufacturing jobs are under threat following the collapse of family-owned confectionery company Darrell Lea after 85 years in business. The company, which makes chocolate and other sweets at Kogarah in Sydney's south, fell into administration yesterday after the Lea family declined to tip any more cash into... Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drive-offs-rise-with-fuel.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/drive-offs-rise-with-fuel.html Every month about 20 people in Mackay drive off without paying for their fuel. And some industry insiders believe it has a lot to do with the high price of petrol, this week hovering between 140.5 and 141.1 cents a litre in our region. Bruce Hollett owns five Caltex sites - three of which are in Mackay, at the Northern Beaches,... Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/super-microalgae-full-of-biofuel-potential.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/super-microalgae-full-of-biofuel-potential.html MISA researchers from SARDI have isolated and evaluated a ‘super strain’ of a native microalgae species that could form the basis of a local biofuels industry. This breakthrough in biodiscovery comes after six years of ‘bioprospecting’ across thousands of kilometres of the State and into the waters of the Great... Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-on-for-7-eleven-armed-robber.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-on-for-7-eleven-armed-robber.html A man armed with a gun robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store at the Grange in Brisbane's inner-north on Monday morning. The bandit stormed the convenience store on Days Rd at about 4am, pointing the gun at the store attendant while he demanded the takings. The 24-year-old male attendant, who had been mopping the floor, was forced... Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hunter-aldi-alcohol-sales-approved.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hunter-aldi-alcohol-sales-approved.html ALDI will enter the Hunter’s supermarket liquor war, with the NSW government approving nine applications for alcohol sales at its stores in the region. Aldi stores in Hamilton, Cooks Hill, Belmont, Cardiff, Cessnock, Raymond Terrace, East Maitland, Rutherford and Muswellbrook were given the green light to sell alcohol. They are... Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/iga-introduces-lock-character-in-major-challenge-campaign.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/iga-introduces-lock-character-in-major-challenge-campaign.html Australia’s third largest supermarket chain, IGA, has launched a new campaign focusing on its Locked Down Low Prices strategy. The $5m plus ad blitz is part of the strategy to put more pressure on Coles and Woolworths, which have both released different styles of ad campaigns in the past three months. Silvestro Morabito, chief... Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-retailers-lag-in-cross-channel-opportunities.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/australian-retailers-lag-in-cross-channel-opportunities.html The 2012 Global Cross Channel Retailing Report has revealed Australia lags significantly in its ability to implement effective cross channel retail strategies. When it comes to making it easy for consumers to shop both online and in physical stores, the retailers that do it best are in the categories of general merchandise... Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-fuel-price-board-rules-promised.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-fuel-price-board-rules-promised.html Federal, state and territory authorities will work together on a national approach to fuel price boards, after an agreement by consumer affairs ministers in Adelaide on Friday. "Motorists rely on fuel price boards to make decisions about where and then they fill up," Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury said in a statement. ... Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles--freshly-baked--irish--bread-a-con--jeff-kennett-tells-accc.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles--freshly-baked--irish--bread-a-con--jeff-kennett-tells-accc.html Jeff Kennett has demanded the consumer watchdog step up its investigation of the supermarket giants, launching a fiery attack on Coles for manipulating its market power and "deceiving" customers by selling foreign bread as freshly baked. The former Victorian premier has sent a box of Coles' Irish-made Cuisine Royale bread... Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-in-woodridge-prompts-search.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-robbery-in-woodridge-prompts-search.html Police were investigating an armed robbery in Woodridge this morning. Police were looking for a woman following an armed robbery of a service station at Woodridge early this morning. Around 1.10am a woman entered the store on the corner of Compton and Kingston Road, allegedly produced a knife and demanded money. The woman left... Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/suppliers-squeezed--woolies-accused.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/suppliers-squeezed--woolies-accused.html WOOLWORTHS is looking to squeeze price cuts from scores of suppliers to help fund its price war with Coles - and buyers from the supermarket giant have threatened to remove products from the shelves if the demands are not met. In what one food manufacturer described as ''the most brutal negotiations that I have experienced in my... Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/car-hurtles-into-warilla-shopfront.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/car-hurtles-into-warilla-shopfront.html Part of Warilla resembled a set from a disaster movie yesterday after a car ploughed through the front of a convenience store. Chunks of debris were thrown across the road and a rush of onlookers made George St appear like a disaster zone. Charlie’s Liquor Barn employee Warren Joannou said he thought a bomb had... Thu, 05 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/carine-servo-robbed-at-gunpoint.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/carine-servo-robbed-at-gunpoint.html A man robbed a petrol station in Carine at gunpoint overnight. The offender entered the service station on the corner of Beach and Duffy roads about 8.35pm. He was armed with a handgun and had a stocking over his head. He stole a sum of cash before leaving the store. The offender is described as about 175cm tall with fair... Thu, 05 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-step-up-hunt-for-bp-bandit.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-step-up-hunt-for-bp-bandit.html Police have released CCTV footage from an Armadale service station in a bid to identify a man allegedly involved in an armed robbery. The two men depicted in the footage allegedly entered the BP service station on Albany Highway at 3.15am on June 27. One of them took a bottle of Coke from a shelf while the other went to the counter... Thu, 05 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pcc-a-success.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/pcc-a-success.html During June, ACAPMAcademy kicked off the first round of Petroleum Convenience Compliance (PCC) training courses in Melbourne and regional Victoria. Designed for new staff, store manager and existing staff, the PCC training covers everything your retail staff need to know, from point-of-sale to fire safety, and actively assess the skill... Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/benefits-of-renewal.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/benefits-of-renewal.html For members of ACAPMA, July is the time of year to renew their yearly membership. Conversely, businesses that are not a member there is no better time to join ACAPMA. “Over the last year ACAPMA has been extremely busy and has achieved much for our members,” said Nic Moulis, ACAPMA General Manager. “We have strived... Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fill-up-for-free-with-petrol-happy-hour.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fill-up-for-free-with-petrol-happy-hour.html Motorists are facing lengthy delays on Parramatta Rd this morning after a Burwood service station started giving away fuel for free. Traffic has come to a standstill on the main thoroughfare, with scores of thirsty cars queuing onto the road. The Woolworths station is giving away the E10 petrol for one hour from 10.30am in a bid to... Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-bandit-robs-mullaloo-store.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/armed-bandit-robs-mullaloo-store.html Police are searching for a man who robbed a supermarket in Mullaloo armed with a knife this morning. The man went into the Koorana Road store about 10.30am, demanded money and stole cash from the till before running away. The offender is described as aged in his twenties or thirties and about 183cm tall with fair skin. He was... Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/henderson-to-defend-diesel-fuel-rebate-with-pm.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/henderson-to-defend-diesel-fuel-rebate-with-pm.html Chief Minister Paul Henderson says he will ask the Prime Minister not to remove the diesel fuel rebate in the Northern Territory. Mr Henderson says the Commonwealth fuel rebate is set to end in 2014 as part of the carbon price regime. He says he will personally approach Prime Minister Julia Gillard about the issue while... Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-shortage-fuels-calls-for-more-competition.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-shortage-fuels-calls-for-more-competition.html There are calls for improvements in the fuel delivery industry after customers in Western Australia's Pilbara and Kimberley were again left waiting days for diesel. Shell Australia apologised to customers of Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing and Paraburdoo, after petrol stations ran out of diesel last week. The company has pledged to... Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fair-work-weighs-in-on-penalties.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fair-work-weighs-in-on-penalties.html Business will get the chance to argue for cuts in penalty rates in the retail and hospitality sectors, but Fair Work Australia has flagged that the corporate case will come under close scrutiny. Fair Work Australia has rejected arguments from the Gillard government that a two-year review of the modernised award system should not consider... Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-wage-rates-a-priority.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/new-wage-rates-a-priority.html Employers in the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industries are being reminded that 1 July 2012, which marks the beginning of a new financial year, is the start date for new employee wage rates. This comes as a result of the National Wage Case, which handed down a 2.9 percent wage increase to all workers. “The new... Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-gold-coast-service-station-bandits.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/police-hunt-gold-coast-service-station-bandits.html Police are hunting a man and woman this morning after an armed robbery at an Arundel a petrol station. The pair pulled up to the station on Brisbane Road, Arundel in a four-wheel-drive and parked at a petrol pump about 12.30am. While the man put fuel in the car, the woman went to the counter and threatened an employee with a knife... Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/historic-stores-fights-for-survival.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/historic-stores-fights-for-survival.html Only people power can save the state's oldest general store at Clarendon from the supermarket giants. Husband and wife team Keith Pooley and Suzanne White said they might have no option but to close the 152-year-old store as customers continue to tighten their belts and are wooed by discount offers from Coles and Woolworths. ... Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapmag-s-considerable-distribution-confirmed.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapmag-s-considerable-distribution-confirmed.html ACAPMAg, the magazine of the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA), reaches 7,811 readers, including every petrol convenience outlet in Australia. With 99 percent delivered directly to the reader, not bulk delivered. These reader numbers were confirmed recently by the Circulations Audit Board,... Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/beware-carbon-tax-price-gougers.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/beware-carbon-tax-price-gougers.html Businesses which try to price gouge as a result of the carbon price could be opening the door to a new wave of consumer class actions. The ACCC now has the power to bring what is essentially a class action on behalf of consumers who have been misled about the impact of the carbon price on the cost of their goods or services. Unlike... Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-plans-to-use-smartphone-app-to-do-away-with-supermarket-queues.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/coles-plans-to-use-smartphone-app-to-do-away-with-supermarket-queues.html Technology is really changing the lives of consumers the world over. Among the technological innovations that Australians could look forward to in the future that would make life easier for them is not falling in line at supermarket check-out counters. It would be made possible by the use of the radio tags to be attached on grocery items... Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-robinson-rd-owners-notch-up-three-decades-in-business.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/bp-robinson-rd-owners-notch-up-three-decades-in-business.html The first day as owners of BP Robinson Rd service station in Aspley was a baptism of fire, but 30 years on, proprietors Chris and Sandy Haack have forged ahead. ``It was just me because the shop assistant girl wasn't back from New Zealand and the planned mechanic decided he didn't want to work for a 21-year-old... Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/peak-ethanol---and-that-s-a-good-thing.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/peak-ethanol---and-that-s-a-good-thing.html Peak ethanol has arrived. As an alternative to petroleum based fuel, ethanol has fallen off its pedestal. After 15 years of growth, consumption in the US is starting to decline and production plants are closing down. The industry invested heavily in new capacity based on assumptions that fuel consumption would continue to rise and... Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-tanker-crash-in-longreach.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-tanker-crash-in-longreach.html UPDATE 8.55PM: A MAN has died following a truck rollover near Longreach late this afternoon. Emergency services were called to the scene, on the Landsborough Highway, just after 4pm. It was a single vehicle rollover of a road train. A Queensland Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said the prime mover was upside down and it was... Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gloucester-woolies-petrol-station-rejected.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/gloucester-woolies-petrol-station-rejected.html Gloucester councillors have rejected an application by Woolworths to build a service station in the town, part of its supermarket proposal that's the subject of a legal challenge. Councillors refused the development application for the flood-prone site in Church Street, Gloucester's main commercial thoroughfare, at... Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hume-hwy-still-closed-after-tanker-crash.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/hume-hwy-still-closed-after-tanker-crash.html Part of the Hume Highway is likely to remain closed until the middle of the day on Thursday after a petrol tanker rolled and spilled fuel across the road. Police shut the highway a kilometre north of the Wallan-Whittlesea Road about 6.20pm (AEST) on Wednesday after the B-double petrol tanker was involved in a crash with a car. ... Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-bandits-armed-with-petrol--lighter.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-bandits-armed-with-petrol--lighter.html A man has barged into an Armadale service station early this morning holding a drum of petrol and a lighter, and then threatened to set the attendant on fire. Two men in a stolen Toyota Rav 4 parked at the service station on Albany Highway, Armadale about 3.15am. One of the men got out of the car, and... Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-tanker-crash-clean-up-underway.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/fuel-tanker-crash-clean-up-underway.html Emergency services are at the scene of a fuel tanker crash in Mildura. The truck rolled about 5:30am (AEST) today at the intersection of Deakin Avenue and 15th Street. Police are evacuating a nearby caravan park as a precaution as petrol from the tanker is decanted. Paramedics says the truck driver was not injured. Extracted... Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/online-distribution-network-opens-for-australian-convenience-stores-and-groceries.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/online-distribution-network-opens-for-australian-convenience-stores-and-groceries.html An Australian delivery service has established a way for online consumers to receive their parcels at the local convenience store, rather than having to collect them from an Australia Post outlet. ParcelPoint is a simple concept – consumers are notified by SMS when their parcels have been delivered to a local convenience store or... Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/food-manufacturer-to-sack-80.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/food-manufacturer-to-sack-80.html Up to 80 workers at food manufacturer Goodman Fielder's Clayton South bakery are to lose their jobs as the group struggles with a tough retail environment and the fallout of price wars between supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths. The bakery is one of three factories to close in a new wave of cuts at Goodman Fielder, which... Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma---the-house-delivers-the-real-life-stories.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma---the-house-delivers-the-real-life-stories.html In the last sitting weeks of Federal Parliament, before the winter recess, independent petroleum distributors and petrol convenience retailers visited Canberra for meetings with Ministers, Shadow Ministers, and Senators, as well as Senior Policy Advisers. As part of the Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Associations annual... Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-reveals-website-makeover.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/acapma-reveals-website-makeover.html ACAPMA have launched their fresh new look website at acapma.com.au, a location that is the leading online resource for the petroleum distribution and petrol convenience industry. Nic Moulis, General Manager of ACAPMA, said the innovative site is set to become the information hub for the industry, “With acapma.com.au there are over... Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/egg-labelling-under-attack.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/egg-labelling-under-attack.html THE State government's food watchdog has posted confusing and wrong information about free-range egg labelling on its website, according to the consumer body Choice. The NSW Food Authority announced on Friday it had responded to calls for transparent information on egg labelling and farming practices with a new online page which... Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-offers--250-of-free-food-to-anyone-who-shops-naked.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/supermarket-offers--250-of-free-food-to-anyone-who-shops-naked.html Shoppers in Süderlügum, Germany took the organic, au-natural trend to a whole new level last week. To celebrate and promote the opening of his new grocery store, Supermarket manager Nils Sterndorff made an offer: the first 100 shoppers to show up naked would be given a free shopping spree of up to €270 ($240), Bild... Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/additive-a-casualty-of-dairy-price-war.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/additive-a-casualty-of-dairy-price-war.html The supermarket price wars have forced one of Australia's biggest dairy companies back to nature. Milk from Dairy Farmers and Pura Milk will no longer be made with additives known as permeates, in what food and beverage giant Lion described yesterday as "milk's greatest transformation in 100 years". Lion's... Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/crime-stopping---your-company-s-duty-of-care.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/crime-stopping---your-company-s-duty-of-care.html Why should a business be held legally liable for the criminal assaults perpetrated by others? While courts have struggled with this question over the years, some recent legal trends highlight the need for comprehensive Public Liability Insurance to cover this risk. James Dimitriou, Claims Manager for Lumley Corporate Solutions, says that... Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/super-nightowl-store-in-cairns.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/super-nightowl-store-in-cairns.html THE first NightOwl Super supermarket has opened in the Far North. The store is the former IGA/Foodstore supermarket established at the Coastwatcher shopping centre, Trinity Beach Rd, in 1988. Franchisor/owner Adam Adams said it was the first of the NightOwl Super brands in the Far North and the fifth of the supermarket... Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-new-police-response-to-petrol-theft---just-the-fax--ma-am.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/the-new-police-response-to-petrol-theft---just-the-fax--ma-am.html AS the cost of living spirals, petty crime is so out of control police have asked service station workers to fax them after drivers steal fuel. Shoplifting and stealing from cars is also up, while Office of State Revenue figures show more than 85,000 fines were handed out to fare evading passengers last year - the equivalent of 233 fines... Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-fumes-cause-cancer.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/diesel-fumes-cause-cancer.html   In worrying news for an industry that relies on diesel fuel, a new report from the World Health Organization says diesel fumes cause cancer. A new ruling from the WHO may make diesel exhaust as dangerous a public threat as second hand smoke, AP reports. While the risk of cancer is fairly small a science panel said raising... Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-grocers-say-woolies--coles-killing-competition.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/small-grocers-say-woolies--coles-killing-competition.html INDEPENDENT grocers are calling on the federal competition watchdog to rein in Woolworths and Coles, claiming the retail duo are opening oversized, unprofitable stores in growth areas and rural centres that are killing off competition and obliterating local small business. The independents are preparing a lobbying campaign against the... Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailers-unveil-nsw-budget-wish-list.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/retailers-unveil-nsw-budget-wish-list.html Australia's peak retail body says it wants major cuts to NSW payroll tax in the state budget. In a move to boost the sector, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has outlined seven points they hope NSW treasurer Michael Baird will address in Tuesday's budget. Among the wish-list is a call for a 'minimum 25 per cent... Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/store-attendant-foils-attempted-robbery-at-convenience-store-on-fairfield-rd--yeronga.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/store-attendant-foils-attempted-robbery-at-convenience-store-on-fairfield-rd--yeronga.html A MAN who allegedly tried to rob a convenience store at Yeronga was foiled after the person behind the counter refused to give him any money. About 7:10pm a man, whose age is unknown, walked into the store on Fairfield Road. He allegedly pulled out a knife and threatened the man behind the counter before asking him for cash. The... Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-staff-at-a-crossroads.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/servo-staff-at-a-crossroads.html TRUCKIES travelling through the Gladstone region will now be limited for choice when it comes to accessible petrol stations. The Choice Service Station at the Calliope Crossroads has closed its doors forever, leaving staff and customers at a crossroads of their own. The popular truck stop was forced to shut down following a Main... Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/port-caltex-fills-the-service-gap.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/port-caltex-fills-the-service-gap.html DRIVEWAY petrol service is to continue in our town, despite Ampol in Gordon Street’s closure yesterday. Staff at Caltex Starmart Port Macquarie in Lord Street will help drivers with disabilities and the elderly at the pumps between 9am and 1pm on weekdays. Franchisee Muhtab Shakil said he decided to offer the service to ensure... Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-smugglers-to-face-10-years-in-jail.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/tobacco-smugglers-to-face-10-years-in-jail.html TOBACCO smugglers could face up to 10 years in jail on top of existing financial penalties under proposed changes to Australia's customs regime. Attorney-General Nicola Roxon today used World No Tobacco Day to announce the Government would introduce legislation to strengthen the Customs Act by the end of 2012. The changes will create a new offence of "smuggling tobacco or conveying or possessing smuggled tobacco". At present tobacco smugglers are prosecuted under a general smuggling provision with financial penalties ranging up to five times the amount of duty... Thu, 31 May 2012 00:00:00 +1000 http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truckies-give-coles-the-finger-in-sydney-rally.html http://www.acapma.com.au/articles/truckies-give-coles-the-finger-in-sydney-rally.html The Transport Workers Union says major retailers such as Coles and Woolworths are putting the public at danger by placing undue pressure on delivery drivers. More than 100 truck drivers have descended on a Coles supermarket in inner Sydney to protest against what they say are dangerous working conditions. The Transport Workers Union... Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 +1000