Victoria Premier Ben Carroll acknowledged forgetting to pay for petrol after refueling his car on Monday night, prompting Victoria Police to contact the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) before the outstanding bill was settled.

In a statement issued Wednesday morning, Carroll said he was running errands late Monday when he stopped to refuel his own vehicle. He realized the payment had not been made the following day and promptly rectified the oversight. “Found out yesterday I forgot to pay,” Carroll said. “I fixed the bill straight away. Grateful for the team at the servo for their understanding.”

Victoria Police reportedly reached out to DPS on Tuesday night regarding the unpaid petrol, which then informed the Premier. Carroll later reflected on the incident during an appearance at The Age’s Melbourne Assembly event, noting the error made him feel more relatable. “Politicians are human beings and even premiers make mistakes,” he said.

Carroll detailed the circumstances, explaining Monday had been a challenging day, including a busy evening involving family matters. “My wife and I had a discussion about who was going to return [daughter] Maddie’s friend’s pencil case. I said I’ll do it, and I’ll get petrol,” he recalled. “I found out the following day I didn’t pay for the petrol. That has since been rectified.”

The Premier also mentioned a message from former deputy premier John Thwaites, who shared his own anecdote about not paying for petrol and accidentally leaving the nozzle in the car, bringing some lightness to the situation.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush described petrol drive-offs generally as civil matters unless intent to avoid payment is proven. “A lot of people do do that, but if it turns out that it’s a criminal matter, there was intent, chances will follow,” Bush said. “But everyone’s got the opportunity to address an error.” He confirmed that in Carroll’s case, the unpaid fuel charge was settled.

The incident has drawn attention as an unusual but ultimately minor administrative oversight by a senior government official, with the payment reportedly cleared without further consequences.