He labelled the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission an “anti-competitive eunuch” after it dismissed his request to probe “obscenely” high fuel prices in Armidale. 

The city’s six service stations consistently charged the highest or second-highest prices for unleaded petrol and diesel in rural and regional NSW over a 40-week period.

That prompted Mr Marshall to claim retailers were colluding to “rip off” Armidale motorists and refer the matter to the commission.

But the watchdog refused to act, saying it was not illegal to put prices above the cost of supply as long as those prices were set independently.

Commission chief executive Ryane de Gruchy suggested the city’s motorists shop around “for a price-competitive retailer in another regional location”.

The response enraged Mr Marshall.

In a parliamentary speech earlier this week, he accused the watchdog of being an “anti-competitive eunuch” that had “all the competitive spirit of an oil baron”. 

“Either it does not have  the power

or it is unwilling to exercise its 

powers to investigate what is a huge travesty on the people of Armidale and it has to stop,” Mr Marshall said. 

The matter has drawn a huge response from the community.

Armidale resident Peter Inman has started an online petition at http://chn.ge/1zldCKk urging motorists to submit their postcode, and make individual complaints.

Mr Marshall appealed to all Armidale residents to bombard the consumer watchdog with complaints on 1300 302 502 or at www.accc.gov.au

“The issue here is disparity between Armidale fuel prices and those of the rest of rural and regional New South Wales,” he said.

“I can’t say that there is collusion, but there is at least enough cause to investigate.”

When The Armidale Express pressed further as to why the matter was not being investigated by the watchdog, the spokeswoman declined to comment.