More than 100 service stations in Victoria are out of petrol and 83 are out of diesel as fuel shortages linked to the conflict in the Middle East continue to spread around the world.
However, according to the ABCVictorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the shortages were due to panic buying rather than a real lack of supply.
“The fuels that are coming into the country are still flowing into the country,” Ms D’Ambrosio said on ABC Melbourne radio, echoing comments made yesterday by Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.
The affected gas stations are located in both metropolitan and regional areas.
“In some areas of Victoria – not widespread – but in some areas of Victoria demand has increased by somewhere between 300 and 400 per cent,” the minister said.
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“In most of these areas there are alternatives and that’s really important to the communities. They need to have confidence that there are alternative stations to supply the fuel.”
The shortages come less than a day after Premier Chris Minns confirmed more than 100 gas stations in New South Wales were out of diesel, with 35 stations out of fuel at all.
In some areas of both states, diesel prices are as high as $3 a liter, with shortages potentially affecting the transport of fresh produce and deliveries to supermarkets.
The disruption follows Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s call last week for motorists to “be a good Australian” and avoid panic buying fuel.
The shortages suggest many motorists have ignored the Prime Minister’s request.
On Sunday, Mr Bowen said the country’s fuel stocks had risen to 38 days and measures such as adjustments to fuel quality requirements had helped maintain supplies despite the cancellation of six ships due to arrive in Australia.
Mr Bowen said the country was still a long way from widespread outages and had not yet reached the point where fuel rationing would be necessary.
“It is much more likely that there will be supply shortages, but governments will work with refiners and importers to manage these and minimize the impact,” he told the ABC insider on Sunday, March 22nd.
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