Fuelwatch cops a serve

The Federal Government's proposed Fuelwatch scheme has copped a humorous serve from non-partisan advocacy group Getup Australia.

The group, which describes itself as an "independent, grass-roots community advocacy organisation giving everyday Australians opportunities to get involved and hold politicians accountable" has produced a TV commercial lampooning the Government's plans to monitor petrol prices.

The ad carries the tagline "Petrol: very ****ing expensive" and features a spoof 'Fuelwatch' control centre which the narrator moves through asking an operative "what's the price tomorrow?". The answer? "****ing expensive".

Getup is aiming to raise enough funds through donations to air the ad during Channel Nine's 60 Minutes, the most-watched show in Australia.

The ad continues, with the spoof narrator adding "Instead of investing in alternative fuels or making cars more efficient, or funding public transport, we’ll take that money and invest it in new fangled binoculars that can see further into the future." The ad ends with the tagline "Fuelwatch: we can see the future and its very ****expensive" and urges PM Kevin Rudd and opposition leader Brendan Nelson to "make our future ****ing renewable".

The campaign has already raised $55,000 of its $70,000 target needed to have the ad aired.

Watch the ad