Hundreds of service stations across Australia have run out of fuel, with the federal government inking a deal with Singapore, one of the country\u2019s biggest sources of refined petroleum, to keep supplies of diesel and petrol flowing.<\/p>\n
Concerns are now broadening to supplies of fertiliser and other chemicals, heaping more pressure on the Albanese government\u2019s leveraging of overseas exports of coal and gas in a bid to handle of the crisis.<\/p>\n
The energy minister, Chris Bowen<\/a>, told federal parliament on Monday that 109 outlets in Victoria had run out of at least one grade of petrol, that there were 47 outlets in Queensland with no diesel and 32 without regular unleaded, and that 37 stations in New South Wales had run out of petrol.<\/p>\n The NSW premier, Chris Minns, had said earlier in the day that 105 outlets in his state were without diesel.<\/p>\n Bowen didn\u2019t share statistics for Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia or Tasmania. He also declined to say exactly when the government became aware of six shipments of oil not making its way to Australia, a fact he revealed on Sunday<\/a>, only saying it was an \u201citerative process\u201d and they had not all been cancelled on the same day.<\/p>\n Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email<\/a><\/p>\n Bowen again said any moves toward fuel rationing were not an immediate prospect, but said his department had undertaken \u201cprudent contingency planning\u201d, and that \u201csignificant powers\u201d in this regard had also been delegated to state governments.<\/p>\n \u201cThat indicates the public restraint, public information campaigns and requesting people to save fuel would be the first step, and that only after that, would any further actions be considered. I made clear yesterday, I think we\u2019re a long way from that,\u201d Bowen told parliament.<\/p>\n Government sources said state government powers would be engaged before the federal power to declare a national fuel emergency.<\/p>\n Anthony Albanese released a joint statement with the Singaporean prime minister, Lawrence Wong, reaffirming the two nations would continue trading in energy.<\/p>\n