Tense moment Anthony Albanese is grilled about petrol stations running dry – as he reveals fuel crisis taskforce

Our fuel supply is currently secure. However, my view is that we should be over-prepared.

I understand that Australians in some parts of the nation are worried as they watch events unfold in the Middle East. That concern is understandable. We are doing everything we can to secure fuel supplies and ensure they are delivered to the areas where they are needed.

I reiterate my message today: please do not take more fuel than you need. That is how you can help. It is the Australian way to think of others ,to look after neighbours, communities and the national interest. Only take what you need.

National Cabinet acknowledged that the longer the conflict continues in the Middle East, the more significant the impact will be on global supply chains, fuel prices and the broader economy. Australians also understand that this is a global issue.

The conflict represents an unprecedented shock to global energy markets. The International Energy Agency has described it as the biggest disruption in history. Australians are already feeling the consequences.

I am deeply concerned by attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure, including the latest overnight incident in Qatar. We condemn Iran’s ongoing reckless reprisal attacks in countries across the region that are not parties to this conflict. We do not want to see further escalation.

Today the Commonwealth has appointed Anthea Harris, who joins me here, as fuel supply taskforce coordinator to support coordination across government and industry. All states and territories have agreed to appoint representatives to a new fuel supply taskforce, which will be established within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The taskforce will drive coordination between the Commonwealth and the states and territories on fuel security and supply-chain resilience. It will provide consistent, coordinated updates on the fuel supply outlook and act as a single convening point for fuel supply planning.

This is a sensible step to ensure Australia is over-prepared. While the Commonwealth is responsible for fuel security and supply, states and territories are responsible for distribution within their jurisdictions. Today’s announcement strengthens cooperation across all levels of government.

Since the conflict began two weeks ago, my government has taken swift action. We have released up to 20 per cent of our diesel and fuel reserves to help address regional shortages.

We have temporarily amended the national fuel standards to ensure more fuel remains available for use in Australia. This fuel is normally produced here for export, but the temporary changes mean it can now be retained domestically to help ease supply pressures.

We are also cracking down on petrol companies engaging in price gouging. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is engaging with key international counterparts to help ensure the continued flow of petrol and diesel shipments to Australia from our trading partners. I have also been involved in that process.

My government will announce further measures in the coming days and weeks to prepare the nation for ongoing supply-chain challenges.

Question: Has the response begun, and what were the first steps?

Prime Minister: It has already started. We made this decision a couple of days ago. The National Security Committee has been meeting daily, including again this morning prior to National Cabinet. We are working to get ahead of any potential issues. That is why we decided that across the Commonwealth and all eight states and territories there would be a single appointed fuel lead in each jurisdiction.

There are already a range of coordination forums in place, including the National Coordination Mechanism, and those meetings are continuing. However, having a single point of contact is a commonsense response.

Question: Australians are seeing petrol stations run out of fuel. How can you say supply is secure?

Prime Minister: There is no less fuel in Australia today than there was three weeks ago. Every ship scheduled to arrive has arrived. This is not a supply reduction, it is an issue of increased demand.

Both things can be true. The expected amount of fuel can be in the country, but if demand doubles, or in some areas increases even more, shortages can still occur locally. That is why coordination is needed to ensure distribution issues are addressed and fuel is directed to affected regions.

Question: What is the timeframe for fuel reaching shortage areas?

Prime Minister: That work is already under way. The release of 20 per cent of our fuel reserves is part of that effort and is being directed towards regions experiencing shortages.

Question: How long will the Middle East conflict continue and how long will this crisis last?

Prime Minister: Australia is not a participant in the conflict. What we are doing is continuing to call for de-escalation. The truth is that no one can say with certainty how long this will last.

We are hopeful there will be an endpoint. Intelligence assessments and statements from the United States suggest Iran’s capacity to develop a nuclear weapon has been significantly damaged. Its ability to conduct attacks in the region has also been undermined. We will continue to monitor developments, receive updated briefings and advocate for de-escalation.

Question: What impact will attacks on gas fields in the Middle East have?

Prime Minister: This is a major concern. For example, the attack on a Qatari LNG facility, even though it was offline at the time, could affect future supply. That is why we continue to call for de-escalation. Qatar is not a participant in this conflict, yet Iran has launched attacks across the region, including against countries not involved.