Australia’s rural areas facing ‘unacceptable’ fuel shortages
The Straits Times
It is a ripple effect of the US-Israel war with Iran that has caused global oil prices to surge. Read more at straitstimes.com.
SYDNEY – Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the country’s rural and regional areas are facing “real and unacceptable shortages” of fuel, a ripple effect of the US-Israel war with Iran that has caused global oil prices to surge.
Mr Bowen’s comments came a day after the government announced it will release fuel from its emergency stockpile to meet demand in rural areas.
He said the additional supply will not reach the market immediately.
The shortage has been driven by a “massive explosion in demand” not because of any supply disruptions, Mr Bowen said, adding that Australia has received all of its shipments of petrol and diesel as expected.
Demand is “up 100 per cent at every terminal across Australia”, the minister said at a press conference on March 14.
“This has seen shortages for farmers, for people in regional areas in particular, which the government has been working very hard with the industry to get addressed as quickly as possible.”
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