28m agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 1:36am
Australia releases seven days’ worth of petrol and five of diesel from emergency stockpile
Australia will make available about seven days’ worth of petrol from its emergency stockpile and five days of diesel, the first use of its fuel reserves since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Australia currently holds 36 days’ worth of petrol supply, 29 days’ worth of jet fuel and 32 days’ worth of diesel.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the fuel would not flow immediately due to the complexities of supply chains, but it would give fuel retailers flexibility to manage their supply.
Read the full story from senior political correspondent Jake Evans in the link below.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:50am
Coalition says Chris Bowen has ‘messed up’ on fuel concerns
Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s press conference has just concluded, and Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan has stepped up to talk.
The shadow minister says the energy minister has “messed up this crisis” and accused him of not having a plan.
“The taxpayer is going to have to pay more, especially with the way that Chris Bowen has messed up this crisis. You’ve got to remember Monday no crisis, yesterday a national crisis,” Tehan says.
Tehan says the government needs to reassure farmers, miners and Australians that fuel prices won’t continue to rise.
“What I want is Chris Bowen to fix this problem. Chris Bowen has a serious, serious issue that he should be fixing and he’s not,” he says.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:41am
Bowen says shipments of fuel haven’t been keeping up with demand
Chris Bowen says while Australia is still receiving shipments of fuel, it has not been keeping up with demand in regional communities.
“Refineries in Australia are working, the ships are coming in, fuel is being delivered but it has not been keeping up with demand,” Bowen says.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:38am’There is no need for panic buying’: Bowen
Chris Bowen has urged Australians to refrain from buying fuel and reselling it at inflated prices.
The energy minister says reselling fuel at higher prices is “un-Australian” and is dangerous.
But he says there is no case for panic buying fuel and says the government is prepared for future challenges.
“There is no need for panic buying. Is the situation internationally serious? Yes it is. Is Australia’s fuel supply currently secure? Yes,” Bowen says.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:33amEnergy minister not contemplating rationing ‘at this point’
The energy minister has been asked if he’s concerned about the next few weeks if the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt oil supply.
Chris Bowen say it’s an uncertain environment and that all Australians are concerned about the state of the world at the moment.
Asked if he has the power to ration fuel, Bowen says he has various powers under the Fuel Emergency Act, but that they’re not being contemplated “at this point”.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:29amReduction in minimum stock obligations constitutes response to IEA request: Bowen
Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the government’s action to reduce Australia’s minimum stock obligations constitutes its response to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) request to release fuel reserves.
The IEA has agreed to the release of 400 million barrels of oil from its 32 member countries, including Australia.
The move is aimed at preventing a further rise in oil prices on fears that Iranian attacks will continue to block Middle East oil exports from reaching markets.
“It constitutes our response,” Bowen says.
“I’m not contemplating further but we will respond to changing circumstances with a focus on our national interest as we have done in a fast-moving situation,” he says.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:24am
Energy minister says future threats to fuel supply could occur if conflict continues
Chris Bowen has been asked if there’s a point where Australia might run out of fuel, if the war in the Middle East continues.
The energy minister has sidestepped the question, saying he thinks Australians understand the international situation is “very tough”.
But pressed again on whether he thinks Australia could run out of fuel due to the regional conflict, Bowen says he thinks Australians know the country’s fuel supply is secure.
However, Bowen says there could be threats to future supply if the conflict in the Middle East continues.
“Will there be further threats to fuel supply if the international circumstance continues to worsen? Of course, that is a realistic thing, which governments should prepare for,” Bowen says.
“I think the sort of inflammatory running out language — we are nowhere near that. We have minimum stock obligations in place,” he says.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:18am
Chris Bowen assures fuel is continuing to arrive in Australia despite war
Energy Minister Chris Bowen has asserted that Australia’s fuel supply is secure and continuing to make its way to Australia.
“The ships are arriving. That’s what I’ve been saying. We have a minimum stock obligation, which is at a high level. That’s what I’ve been saying. Our fuel supply is continuing to come in,” Bowen says.
The energy minister has thanked the National Farmers Federation for its cooperation to ensure fuel is getting to farmers.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:13amBreaking: Australia reduces minimum stock obligations for fuel and diesel
We’re stepping away from Angus Taylor’s press conference now to bring you a press conference from Energy Minister Chris Bowen in Sydney.
Bowen has announced the federal government will be adjusting the minimum stock obligation.
The energy minister says the conflict in the Middle East presents ongoing risks to the global supply of fuel and diesel.
He says the government will reduce the minimum stock obligation for diesel from 2.7 billion litres to 2.2 billion litres, and petrol from 1 billion litres to 700 million litres.
The energy minister says the decision follows the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) request to release reserve fuel.
“This will enable the fuel companies to more flexibly manage their supply chain. This fuel will not be released immediately,” Bowen says.
1h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:07am
Taylor questioned why he didn’t bring up Richardson departure in QT
Angus Taylor has been questioned why he didn’t ask the government in Question Time yesterday about Dennis Richardson’s departure from the antisemitism royal commission.
The former ASIO boss left the royal commission, saying he felt “surplus” to the inquiry and believed he was getting paid too much for his work.
The opposition leader says he did ask the prime minister about the departure yesterday morning.
Taylor says Anthony Albanese needs to explain exactly why Richardson left his role as special adviser.
“People want to know what it was that led to that terrible tragedy at North Bondi, where we lost 15 lives but they also want to know how, most importantly, how we are going to prevent that ever happening again, how the government is going to prevent that ever happening again,” Taylor says.
2h agoFri 13 Mar 2026 at 12:01am
Taylor says Liberals will preselect Farrer candidate this weekend
What’s holding up the Liberal Party’s preselection of a candidate in the Farrer by-election?
Sussan Ley resigned from the seat she held for 25 years after being dumped as Liberal leader, triggering a by-election for May 9.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor says the party will be preselecting a candidate this Sunday.
“I am very confident by the end of Sunday, we’ll have an excellent candidate running, in fact and I’m looking forward to being there on Monday,” Taylor says.
2h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 11:58pm
Taylor stops short of supporting One Nation’s proposal to ration fuel
Angus Taylor has been asked if he supports One Nation’s proposal to ration fuel in the cities to alleviate fuel shortages in the regions.
The opposition leader hasn’t gone that far, but says supplies need to reach customers in regional Australia.Â
“This is Chris Bowen’s job. He’s asleep at the wheel,” Taylor says.
“Until yesterday, it was all tickety boo. No problems. By yesterday, it was a national crisis,” he says.
2h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 11:55pm
Angus Taylor accuses Labor of being ‘in denial’ about fuel supplies
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has stepped up for a press conference in Western Sydney with Liberal frontbencher Melissa McIntosh.
The opposition leader says Labor has been “in denial” about Australia’s fuel supply amid the war in the Middle East.
Yesterday, Energy Minister Chris Bowen relaxed Australia’s fuel rules to allow higher sulfur fuel to be used to alleviate shortages in the regions.
“Yesterday, he [Bowen] admitted that there was a national crisis. Well, the national crisis is this minister who has been asleep at the wheel. He is never on top of his job,” Taylor says.
The opposition leader has also taken a swipe at the government over inflation, with the Australian Financial Review reporting Treasury expects inflation to reach the high 4 per cent range.
“Australians’ standard of living is in freefall under a government that has lost control of its economic agenda, simply doesn’t know how to keep inflation down,” he says.
3h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 10:37pm
Analysis: Dennis Richardson’s exit puts antisemitism royal commissioner under more pressure
By personality and at his stage in life, Dennis Richardson is a man who, on occasion, stands on his dignity.
Richardson, 78, has a stellar public service career behind him. As a former head of ASIO, and former secretary of the defence and foreign affairs departments, who also served as ambassador to Washington, Richardson has plenty of experience in handling complicated assignments and relationships. But he’s also willing to say when enough is enough.
This week he reached that point, quitting the inquiry into the security issues around the Bondi massacre that he was conducting within the antisemitism royal commission.
Richardson declared he’d become a “fifth wheel” and not worth the $5,500 a day he was being paid.
Read the full analysis from Michelle Grattan in the link below.
4h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 10:02pmMatt Canavan makes pitch to voters in Farrer ahead of by-election
Nationals leader Matt Canavan has taken to the airwaves just south of the seat of Farrer to make the National Party’s pitch to voters there.
Sussan Ley resigned from the regional NSW seat she held for 25 years after being dumped as Liberal leader last month, triggering a by-election.
Voters in Farrer will head to the polls on May 9.
Speaking to ABC Goulburn Murray, Canavan says he understands why some people have lost trust in the Coalition.
But the Nationals leader says he thinks the Coalition will have stability now after the Liberal spill and Nationals leadership change.
“It’s no doubt we’re the underdogs, but I think Aussies like an underdog. I love nothing more than winning a game of football when you’re behind,” Canavan says.
“There’s a long time until election day. I think people have an open mind to the future of the seat so all I’m asking is for people to listen to our plans,” he says.
Canavan hasn’t said who the Nationals will preference on their how-to-vote cards after the Liberals.
4h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 9:33pm
Labor ‘in denial’ about relaxation of fuel standards: Nationals
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie says Labor is “in denial” if it thinks 100 million litres of fuel will solve fuel shortages in regional Australia.
Yesterday, Energy Minister Chris Bowen relaxed fuel standards to allow for higher sulfur fuel to help ease shortages in regional communities.
Speaking at a doorstop in the press gallery, McKenzie says the 100 million litres will only cover a day’s worth of fuel use.
“This decision should have been made a week ago, there should be prosecutions for price gouging a week ago. They’ve been caught napping and it’s Australians that are paying the price at the bowser,” McKenzie says.
4h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 9:21pmKing says govt open to assisting industries impacted by Middle East conflict
Resources Minister Madeleine King has held a doorstop in the press gallery following her interview on ABC News Breakfast.
King says the government isn’t ruling out targeted support for industries impacted by global oil supply disruptions linked to the Middle East war.
Yesterday, Energy Minister Chris Bowen relaxed fuel standards for two months to allow more supply to the domestic market.
Most of the extra fuel is set to go to regional areas to help farmers facing diesel shortages.
King says the longer the war goes on, the greater the impact will be on the world economy, and the government will “address the issues as they arise”.
“Australia is really well placed to withstand this international shock, but we accept it could get difficult, the more it goes on,” King says.
“We are avidly paying attention to events every single day, and if responses are required … we would take action.”
4h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 9:11pm
One Nation won’t release tax policies this far out from federal election, Joyce says
Barnaby Joyce wouldn’t detail One Nation’s taxation policies in an interview on ABC Radio National Breakfast.
The One Nation MP says the right-wing party won’t release its policies this far out from a federal election.
Joyce says the party will ensure each of its policies are properly costed come the next election.
“There’s no major new tax policy that we’re going to start announcing now. Everything we do will be properly costed and we have the firepower now to cost that,” Joyce says.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has challenged One Nation and Joyce to target Labor-held seats, instead of Coalition ones.
But Joyce has pushed back, saying the Nationals don’t “own” the vote of regional Australians.
“You earn their vote and the political battleground is the battle of ideas and the battle of policy to earn the vote,” he says.
5h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 9:01pmJoyce proposes rationing fuel in cities to address shortages in regions
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has proposed rationing fuel in the cities to help address fuel shortages in regional communities.
The federal government will temporarily release higher-sulfur fuel for 60 days to ease supply shortages across parts of regional Australia.
Speaking to ABC Radio National Breakfast, Joyce says the government’s action to date on fuel supplies “really scares people”.
“If it requires rationing in the cities, we’re not saying you can’t have fuel, but you have to limit it and say, look, it’s 50 litres a week. It’s because we have to keep these semi-trailers moving,” Joyce says.
“This is ridiculous when people say there is no fuel crisis and you go out into regional areas and there’s no fuel. And it’s not one, it’s whole swathes,” he says.
5h agoThu 12 Mar 2026 at 8:37pm
Hume accuses Labor of failing to guarantee Australia won’t run out of fuel
Health Minister Mark Butler and Deputy Liberal Leader Jane Hume have stepped up on Channel Seven for their regular Friday morning spot.
The health minister has rejected suggestions that the additional high-sulfur fuel, released by the energy minister, will damage diesel engines.
Butler says the government has decided to relax fuel standards to increase supply in the Australian market.
“We will be relaxing those standards for a couple of months to ensure we have more supply, an additional 100 million litres every single month, which is enough to fill up 2 million cars every single month,” Butler says.
Hume says the government has failed to guarantee Australians that the country won’t run out of fuel during the Middle East war.
Asked if he can guarantee Australia won’t run out of fuel, Butler sidesteps the question and says Australia is well prepared for fuel shocks.
He says higher demand, caused by panic-buying, is behind fuel shortages in regional areas.