Albanese in dash to Singapore to secure fuel as Trump deadline looms
While Australia supports diplomatic moves by Türkiye and Egypt, which, along with Pakistan, are trying to mediate an end to the war in Iran, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Singapore to lock down fuel imports from the oil superpower.
Oil prices rose again on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy “the entire country” of Iran if it did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 10am on Wednesday morning, while Labor government ministers were pressing for a full court to boost Australia’s chances of preserving liquid fuel supplies if tanker flows decline in coming months.
Labour’s political opponents had for weeks accused Albanese of being slow to react to the oil shock resulting from Iran effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Over the past two weeks, the government has adopted a more aggressive stance, upending its May budget plan by announcing a $2 billion emergency fund to buy fuel at inflated prices, halving the fuel tax and scheduling meetings and calls with a host of suppliers, including Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Brunei and Japan.
On Friday, Albanese will meet Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, hoping to put Australia at the front of the line if companies are forced to make tough choices about where to direct tankers.
The government now forecasts flat demand by mid-May, an improvement on previous forecasts and a sign that emergency measures are working, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said on Tuesday.
Albanese said Australia’s oil supplies were “currently in a secure position” and that he was speaking to Asian leaders to improve the chances of “keeping our fuel supplies flowing”.
Wong, who signed an agreement in principle with Albanese last month to continue fuel supplies, is in demand in Asia and Europe at a time when world leaders are struggling to make a deal with Singapore.
The wealthy city-state is Asia’s largest oil hub and is among the top three refining centers worldwide. Australia imports more than half of its gasoline, 22 percent of its jet fuel and 15 percent of its diesel from Singapore.
It is stated that Albanese plans to visit Wong later this year, but has highlighted this. Prime ministers rarely make impromptu trips, underlining the importance of the fuel crisis for domestic policy as oil prices rise and economists predict a decline.
Most importantly, Singapore depends on Australia’s abundant supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for almost a third of its imports. Gas prices have risen sharply since an Iranian airstrike hit a giant LNG facility in Qatar last month, creating greater demand for Australian products. Qatar is Singapore’s largest LNG supplier.
“We will continue discussions on securing our gasoline, diesel and LNG trade,” Albanese said.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will travel to Japan this week to talk about defense but is also expected to take action on supporting Australia’s oil imports.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Penny Wong will meet with her counterparts from Egypt and Türkiye on Tuesday night. The two countries, along with Pakistan, are relaying messages between the United States and Iran. Pakistan has positioned itself as the chief mediator.
Penny Wong is expected to highlight Australia’s support for de-escalation, as repeated by Albanese on Tuesday, to create momentum for a ceasefire that looks unlikely after increasing threats from Trump and talk of a peace deal not happening.
The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt and Türkiye met with Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat in Islamabad last week to discuss the US-Iran ceasefire. Analysts have argued that the four countries could provide a long-term framework for stability in the Middle East after the war.
Penny Wong is also working the phones to secure supplies of fertiliser, which Australian farmers have warned of a critical shortage.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor stressed the importance of an alliance with Washington on Tuesday, after Labor ministers spoke more directly about the lack of US endgame in Iran for weeks. Trump has repeatedly criticized Australia for not playing a larger role in the conflict, and Australian ministers have quietly answered questions about possible US requests for assistance.
“The American alliance is important to us. And that’s something we understand as a Coalition and will continue to support,” Taylor said, blaming Labor’s anti-pollution policies for Australia’s lack of refining capacity.
Albanese said service stations were in good shape after the Easter weekend, after imploring Australians not to use more fuel than they need in a nationally televised speech last Wednesday.
“There are fewer stations running short today than before Easter and I want to thank every Australian who played a part in that outcome. But of course there remain some shortages, particularly of diesel, and we continue to monitor this very closely,” Albanese said.
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Paul Sakkal is Chief Political Correspondent. He has previously covered Victorian politics and won the Walkley award as well as the 2025 Press Gallery Journalist of the Year award. Contact him securely on Signal @paulsakkal.14.Connect with: X or email.
