Leaders to reconvene for fuel talks after refinery fire
The ongoing global fuel crisis will be discussed again at a meeting between the prime minister and state and territory leaders.
But Anthony Albanese insists the national cabinet meeting will not be used to improve the country’s fuel security level.
This will be the third meeting with prime ministers and chief ministers since February, when the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a rise in global oil prices.
Mr Albanese said even if a solution was found soon, the conflict in the Middle East would continue to affect Australians for some time.
“This is going to have a long impact, it’s going to have an impact,” he told ABC’s 7.30 program on Monday.
“I will be meeting national cabinet again in the coming days, not to make any changes to the levels we are at, but to talk once again with my state and territory colleagues about where we are.”
The Prime Minister said working closely with judicial authorities will be crucial to overcoming the country’s fuel crisis.
The meeting followed a fire at one of Australia’s two remaining refineries late Wednesday.
The fire has sparked fears Australia’s fuel security level will be raised after almost half of its oil production has been depleted, although Viva Energy, the plant’s owner, said the Geelong refinery would return to 90 per cent capacity in coming weeks.
Mr Albanese said the government was exploring options to increase fuel capacity in Australia.
“We will look at all the opportunities available. We are very open to pursuing them,” he said.
“We are working particularly with the private sector and will of course also engage with our state and territory colleagues.”
It comes after the workplace watchdog ordered major companies that use transport firms to carry out reviews of fuel costs every fortnight to ensure drivers have enough fuel to cover costs while on the road.
The Fair Work Commission has ordered transport customers such as retailers, manufacturers and mining companies to review fuel costs as long as diesel is above $2 per liter on average.
The order, which the Transport Workers Union hailed as a major victory, will come into force on Tuesday.
“This is a historic order from the Fair Work Commission and, for the first time, imposes an obligation on wealthy customers at the top of our supply chains to pay their fair share to the transport industry,” said Michael Kaine, the union’s national secretary.
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