Murdoch press Aus

Australia’s alarming fuel levels could see nation ‘shut down’ in less than one month

There are fears supermarket shelves could be stripped bare and hospitals shut down within days as a critical supply runs low.

Australia’s supply of diesel, petrol and jet fuel is running critically low and puts the nation and residents at serious security threat, an independent senator has warned.

Figures from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) revealed the country has less than one month’s worth of domestic supplies, including 28 days of petrol, 24 days of diesel and 20 days of jet fuel.

Australia only has two refineries - and relies on imports of petroleum from the likes of Singapore, South Korea and Japan - putting the nation in a vulnerable position.

“It’s really the neglect of successive governments to deal with what is a national security issue,” he said on Sky News.

“If there’s a conflict, and it doesn’t have to be a conflict with Australia, but something that disrupts our fuel supplies coming from the Strait of Hormuz (a shipping route supplying 20 per cent of global oil consumption) or Singapore, we’re in real trouble.”

Despite the warning, a spokesman for Chris Bowen, the minister for Climate Change and Energy, said Australia was “fuel secure”.

He said the nation now holds more stocks of aviation fuel, petrol and diesel than at any time in the last 15 years.

However, Mr Patrick said any shortfall in fuel supply would cause huge issues.

While most Aussies would likely fear not being able to fill up their vehicles, Mr Patrick argued the biggest concern was around supermarkets and hospitals.

“Most of our country relies on diesel fuel – that’s what keeps all the trucks rolling, the trains rolling, that keep all the supplies coming to us,” the former senator said.

He flagged supermarkets are usually stocked with 10 days of dry food and about a week of frozen, while hospitals have three days worth of drugs before it dries up.

https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/australias-alarming-fuel-levels-could-see-nation-shut-down-in-less-than-one-month/news-story/85d62a9407234df414f17ab4ef3bc87d