PM warned prime-time petrol plea risks stoking panic
The Prime Minister says Australians can get through the bumpy months ahead of the global oil crisis by working together, but an expert fears his rare television address could spark public panic.
In a speech broadcast on all major television and radio networks, Anthony Albanese urged Australians to look out for each other and warned there could be tough times ahead.
He urged people to use public transport instead of driving to preserve the country’s fuel reserves and told motorists hitting the road at Easter to buy only as much petrol and diesel as they need.
“This builds up our reserves and saves fuel for people who have no choice but to drive: farmers, miners and tradespeople who need diesel every day,” Mr Albanese said.
“These are uncertain times. But I am absolutely certain of this. We will tackle these global challenges the Australian way: by working together and looking out for each other.”
While intended to calm Australians’ nerves as the Middle East oil crisis worsens, the address could have the opposite effect, former Liberal adviser Tony Barry told AAP.
Mr Albanese currently has a negative 17 favorability rating for Mr Barry’s firm, Redbridge, well behind opposition leader Angus Taylor and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
Addressing a nation with such a low approval rating would be a recipe for disaster, the pollster said.
“Standing up and telling everyone not to panic is a surefire way to make everyone panic,” Mr Barry told AAP.
“People observe that going to the gas station now resembles a scene from Mad Max.
“They will expect a solution from the government,” he said.
Mr Barry said the decision to cut fuel duty and tell drivers to avoid unnecessary use of petrol and diesel was also politically incorrect.
“He lowered the price of gas and now he’s telling people not to buy this cheap gas.”
US President Donald Trump will make a major speech about the Middle East war on Thursday (AEDT).
As Mr Albanese prepares to address the nation, the Western Australian government has activated emergency powers to force the fuel industry to share information about its supply chains.
The move will allow the state government to request specific details of where fuel is and where it is needed, in a bid to ease shortages in some areas.
Prime Minister Roger Cook said the change was not the same as declaring a state of emergency as was done during the pandemic, but rather targeted the fuel industry specifically.
“Unfortunately, our efforts are being hampered by a lack of full visibility into the fuel supply chain,” he told reporters in Perth on Wednesday.
“In some cases, we don’t know where the fuel is or where it’s going to go.”
Federal opposition leader Angus Taylor said greater transparency around fuel availability was needed to allay Australians’ ongoing fears of shortages.
“This was a repeat of Monday’s press conference and it didn’t give us the detail we needed,” he told Seven News on Wednesday night.
“(The government) needs to keep us informed on a daily basis as to what the situation is,” Mr Taylor said.
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