by Sahar Foladi
Motorists are urged not to be alarmed by the return of “dirty fuel” to ease the nation’s fuel crisis.
The Federal government had relaxed the fuel standards by announcing a stockpile release of previously restricted ‘high-sulphur fuel’ to help boost domestic supply and ease the fuel crisis.
This will release an additional 100 million litres of fuel per month, which equates to about two days’ extra supply, and will be in place for the next 60 days
This is despite increased use of this standard of fuel is proven to impact vehicle emission systems, fuel efficiency and components like catalytic converters and oxygen sensors.
But the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC), CEO says the impacts are seen over time with higher sulphur levels reinforcing the importance of proper vehicle maintenance and expert advice.
“Modern vehicles are designed to run on low-sulphur fuel.
“For the average driver, you’re unlikely to notice an immediate issue, but prolonged use isn’t ideal for vehicle performance or longevity.
“Let’s be clear, ‘dirty fuel’ doesn’t mean contaminated or unsafe petrol.
“It simply refers to fuel with a higher sulphur content than Australia’s newest ultra-low sulphur standard.”
He says it’s the same fuel used as recently as December 2025 and meets government-approved standards.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the country has fuel “well into” May. But he doesn’t guarantee anything after May, saying it’s critical for Strait of Hormuz to be opened “as soon as possible.”
NRMA Car Insurance spokesperson, Peter Khoury says the war must end to get fuel prices back to the pre-war levels.
Fuel is instead being prioritised for regional and rural markets.
This is due to the ongoing war in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel and Iran which led to the closure of Strait of Hormuz triggering global fuel crisis.