Australia faces a fuel crisis of its own making

The British government took control of the country’s railways within hours of entering the First World War. Within days, a national marine insurance scheme was introduced to cover damages resulting from loss of ships and cargo. In both cases, the reason for rapid action was to secure the national food supply; Britain depended on shipping to import the food the nation needed and on the railways to distribute it to the cities.

Today’s fuel crisis caused by the US-Israeli war in Iran bears a striking resemblance to the crisis the British government faced in 1914.