NSW: Outgoing petrol commissioner a 'patsy', says Joyce

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2008
NSW: Outgoing petrol commissioner a 'patsy', says Joyce

SYDNEY, Aug 1 AAP - Outgoing petrol commissioner Pat Walker was a "patsy" who had no
option but to quit the new post, Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says.

Mr Walker, Australia's first petrol commissioner, yesterday quit for personal reasons
less than four months after taking up the position.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd created the post earlier this year to tackle allegations
of collusion and price gouging by major oil companies and their petrol stations.

However, Mr Rudd's failure to strengthen the Trade Practices Act in support of the
new role made Mr Walker "not so much a Pat, but a patsy", Senator Joyce said.

"Mr Walker was not given any further powers from what was already there," Senator Joyce
told AAP during a break in a senate committee hearing into the National FuelWatch Bill
in Sydney.

"It stands without question, that if you're not given more powers you won't have any
more influence than what was already there.

"He was smart enough to say, `I'm getting out of here'."

Asked if calling Mr Walker a patsy was perhaps too strong a criticism, Senator Joyce
said: "Well, he was set up".

"I think he saw his whole career being flushed down the toilet.

"There is no capacity for any person to make any real difference, because they have
no powers to do it.

"Mr Rudd told everybody that he was going to reduce the price of fuel, then it morphed
into he was going to tell you more about fuel, and now we find out it is going to do nothing
about fuel.

"We have been taken for a ride, and the actions of Mr Walker clearly demonstrate that."

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KEYWORD: PETROL JOYCE

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