Singapore’s ties to Australia – and WA – run deep. But locals will always come first
In Singapore on Friday, a visible whiff of desperation wafted from our fuel-hungry prime minister, almost as strong as the infamous chili crab from the local hawker markets and crowded docks.
Labeling his last-minute FIFO diplomatic mission to Singapore – whether small or unfettered – as a success will only be possible, according to the latest domestic intelligence, if fuel supplies to Australia are guaranteed, which is not and never will be.
Of course, it helps to have access to a major energy trading partner amid the current fuel crisis fueled by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Similarly, the Cook government’s belated and somewhat anticipated response to the crisis this weekend is also welcome: the strategic stockpiling of diesel above federal requirements for use only in Western Australia, the world’s second-largest state.
This was not the first time Albanese (or many other world leaders) had recently contacted his counterpart, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
There is a good reason for this; More than one million Australians visit Singapore each year, and the value of two-way trade stood at $47.4 billion in 2024, making Singapore Australia’s largest trading partner in South East Asia.
Nearly a quarter of Australia’s fuel comes from the vital refineries of Singapore, the world’s third-largest hub after Houston and Rotterdam, and a third of Singapore’s LNG comes from Australia, the majority from Western Australia.
Various countries have sought time with Wong to provide some sort of assurance, or even guarantee, that fuel supplies will be maintained amid ongoing uncertainty.
Our Prime Minister is one of two people who have held meetings since the start of the war, the other being with South Korea.
With regional fuel stocks dwindling and some key producing countries (including Malaysia, which also exports to Australia) already signaling moves to prioritize domestic needs, it was prudent for Albania to strengthen its status as a critical gas supplier for Australia’s island nation; The main source of energy production for its eclectic population of six million.
