Fed: Govt not OPEC to blame for high petrol prices, says OPEC

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2000
Fed: Govt not OPEC to blame for high petrol prices, says OPEC

The top international oil producers say the HOWARD government -- not the international
oil industry -- is to blame for high petrol prices in Australia.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries says the Australian government, along
with the United States and others, are distorting the facts on fuel prices while charging
excessive prices.

Acting OPEC secretary-general SHOKRI GHANEM says the federal government should abolish
its taxes on petrol, and then people will see how significat they are.

Dr GHANEM's told ABC radio that in countries like the US -- and, to a certain extent,
Australia -- taxes form more than 50 per cent of what the consumer pays.

Dr GHANEM says OPEC gets far less than these governments from the sale of petrol --
which is immoral.

He says that when prices started going up, OPEC increased production by 2.5 million
barrels a day to ease the price pressure.

AAP RTV fh/daw/rts

KEYWORD: PETROL OPEC (CANBERRA)

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