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BEWARETHEIMPOSTERCelebrating75Years4extyeartheServiceStationAssociationwillbecelebratingits75thbirthday75yearsofrepresentingandassistingtheservicestationindustryinNewSouthWales.Whatstartedin1935byagroupofdedicatedservicestationoperatorsmeetinginanupstairsofficeinGeorgeStreethasstoodthetestoftimebutisstilldominatedbythesameguidingprincipleadedicatedgroupofoperatorsstrivingtolookaftertheinterestsoftheirfellowservicestationowners.Ofcoursemanyotherthingshavechangedsignificantlyoverthelast75years.ForstarterstheShellCompanywasinstrumentalinbringingtheAssociationsfoundingfatherstogetherin1935.Bywayofcontrastin2009Shellstrenuouslyavoidshavinganythingtodowithus.Thesamecouldbesaidformostoftheotheroilcompaniessomemorethanothers.Furtheronfromthatpointthefaceofpetrolbrandinghaschangedinthatperiodoftimeaswell.Insteadofaservicestationhavingmanypumpsofdifferentbrandsstandinglikesentinelsonthefootpathwenowhavesinglebrandedmulti-purposepumpsonspaciouswelllitforecourtswiththesalesemphasisonpriceratherthanbrand.Andthereweresomanybrandsin1935thathavesincedisappeared.TodaywehavebutfourrefinermarketersinAustraliawhereas30yearsagowehadnine.BrandssuchasNeptuneAtlanticGoldenFleecePlumeTotalAmocotonamejustafewhavealldisappearedandeventheiconicAmpolisfastdisappearing.TodaywehavejustShellBPCaltexandMobilandMobilissoontodisappearifCaltexhasitsway.Whilebrandshavedisappearedlatelysohaveservicestationswithnumbersatanalltimelow.Thirtyyearsagotherewereover20000servicestationsinAustraliatodaythenumberislessthan6000accordingtomostreports.Rationalizationerosionofmarginsdeepdiscountingbelowcostsellinghaveallbeeninstrumentalindecimatingwhatusedtobesuccessfulfamilybusinesses.Consumersmayhavegainedafewcentsperlitrepetroldiscountsbuttheyhavelostthatpersonalizedservicethatmanyoperatorsbelievedweretherealsuccessstoryofaprofitablebusiness.Andtheneedsofmotoristshavechangedtoo.Thephraseservicestationmeantmanythingstodifferentpeople.Oftenitmeantservicingamotorvehicleorundertakingservicestationaustraliasummer09ssa.org.ausomesortofmechanicalrepair.Toothersitmeanthavingsomeonefillthetankchecktheoilwaterandtyresandmakingsurethatthecarwasingoodshapetocontinueitsjourney.Todayitsthedriverandpassengersthatgettheservicefromselfservicerefuelingtoprovidingtheextrasneededtoprovidetheallimportantconveniencefactorinourincreasinglybusylives.Howevertheonethingthathasntchangedisthebenefitofgoodoldfashionedcustomerserviceandthatallimportantpersonaltouch.Thelocalservicestationmayhavechangedalotin75yearsbutitstillplaysanimportantroleinprovidingmuchneededservicestolocalcommunities.Itsaclassicwin-winsituationcommunitiesneedservicestationsjustasmuchasservosneedthosecustomerstosurvive.Asthattimelesssonggoes...YoucanthaveonewithouttheotherTheServiceStationAssociationproudlystandsbehinditsmembersreadytodowhateveritcantogetabetterdealforthem.Somethingsneverchange.Thepriceofpetrolisanemotionalissueandthemerementionofpetrolpricescanoftenprovokeanemotiveresponse.LikeinterestratesthemediaunderstandthattheAustraliapublicisextremelysusceptibletoanystorythatdealswiththesetwobigbackpocketfamilybudgetissues.Itsnotsurprisingthereforethatpublicityseekingorganizationsandindividualswilloftenusepetrolpricesasanentreintothemediaworldandtodrawattentiontothemselves.Overtheyearswehaveseenmanyorganizationspromotethemselvestothemediawithstrongmessagesdesignedtostiruppublicopinion.Itseemsthemoreoutrageousthecommentthemorelikelythemediaistorunthestoryandthemorepublicityisgainedfortheauthor.WellknownamessuchasNRMAComsecMotormouthInformedSourcesRACVandRACQarejustafewoftheorganizationsthatparticipateinthepublicityprocess.TheServiceStationAssociationalsoinvolvesitselfintheseactivitiesandprobablymoreoftenthanmost.Butthereisadifference.TheSSAistheonlystandaloneorganizationinAustraliathatissolelyfocusedonlookingaftertheinterestsofservicestationoperators.Ourobjectivethereforeinengagingwiththemediaistomaintainproperbalanceabouthowthepetrolindustryworksandtheroleservicestationsplay.Wethereforeplaceahighpriorityontruthfulnessandcredibilitysothattheopinionsweexpresswillbeseentobefreeofbias.AfterallunlikeothermediacommentatorsweseeknoNSSA