Price Gap is a new online service, comparing the daily average petrol price in Sydney to the price the NRMA thinks it should be. Motoring organisations in other states are expected to follow.

Alan Evans from the NRMA joined us today from Canberra to discuss the new plan.

Just how will the NRMA calculate the prices?

"It's a complex set of formulas," Alan says.

"Each day we will give you a theoretical price on what we believe the price in Sydney should be. It's based on things like mo-gas 95 petrol which is sold in Singapore. It takes into account the exchange rate and transport costs. We will make it available so people can say that's what the price should be but I'm paying x cents more. Why am I paying more? Because you are being ripped off at the pump."

	Petrol Price Factors
	The NRMA will us a calculated theoretical price, which looks at factors such as: -Singapore refined price -The exchange rate -Shipping charges -Terminal Gate price

"Firstly," says Alan, "we will let the ACCC know. We keep in very close contact with them. "

"At Christmas Graham Seymour said they new the oil companies were charging 5 to 7 cents a litre more than they should have been. We will make sure we get the ACCC aware of the fact they are being over charged."

"More importantly, motorists will know and they can put pressure on oil companies and local politicians to say "Hey, we are being ripped off, what are you going to do?"."

"We certainly hope the new petrol commission will replicate this across Australia but get that community involvement saying when we are ripped off, we like to know when we are being ripped off, and we would like to be able to take action."

Will it roll out in other states?

We are talking with our colleagues in the other states. They are going to watch with interest how it goes and the response we get by people logging on to the website and the community reaction.

"If it works, they will follow the same."

Alan points out that with the price of crude oil rising to over $107 a barrel, and the exchange rate coming down, "there will be enormous pressure out there motorists will face."

More info

www.mynrma.com