Australia Races to Ease Fuel Supply as Iran War Brings Shortage Risk

Australia taps oil reserves as fuel prices spike amid war

The Albanese Government is maintaining its denials that Australia is facing a fuel shortage, despite releasing millions of litres of diesel and petrol from the national stockpile.

Australia taps fuel stockpile in urgent bid to fill shortages and stem panic buying

The government will draw down hundreds of millions of litres of petrol and diesel from Australia’s strategic stockpile.

Australia Eases Fuel Stockpile Rules as Middle East Conflict Pushes Oil Prices Higher

The federal government has eased fuel stockpile requirements, allowing companies to release hundreds of millions of litres of petrol and diesel to help relieve shortages in regional Australia. Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced that Australia will temporarily reduce its Minimum Stockholding Obligation (MSO), a policy that requires fuel importers and refineries to keep minimum levels of fuel in domestic storage. Under the change, the diesel st…

Bowen relaxes fuel stockpile rules to meet local shortages

The Albanese government will release 20 per cent of Australia’s reserve stock of diesel and petrol to help plug demand-driven shortages in regional areas.

Fuel for regional Australia: Statements from Bowen I Australian Rural & Regional News

More fuel for regional Australians The Hon. Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Member for McMahon, Media Release, 13 March 2026 The Albanese Government will help to address fuel supply chain disruption by releasing up to 20 per cent of the baseline Minimum Stockholding Obligation for petrol and diesel. This will allow the release of up to 762 million litres of petrol and diesel from Australia’s domestic reserves, where these ca…