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PM calls second emergency national cabinet meeting over fuel crisis

abc.net.au - 26 March 2026

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will convene a second emergency national cabinet meeting as rising fuel costs and shortages threaten to disrupt a range of industries and push up consumer prices.

States and territory leaders will meet next week to further coordinate the national response to the fuel crisis as the fallout from the Iran war continues to escalate.

The government on Wednesday confirmed that about 470 service stations around the country have run out of at least one type of fuel, a small decrease from the day before

State premiers have called on the federal government to lead national coordination to tackle localised supply shortages, after Mr Albanese last week declared that states were responsible for fuel distribution.

"Indeed, coordinating that activity is important so that we have national consistency," Mr Albanese told parliament on Wednesday.

Last week, the national cabinet agreed to appoint Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator Anthea Harris to coordinate with the states on fuel security and supply chains.

Fuel prices have risen sharply around the world since Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for about a fifth of the world's oil, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers now conceding recent modelling forecasting high oil prices and inflation of up to 5 per cent looks "pretty conservative now".

He has asked Treasury to undertake modelling of more challenging scenarios.

Labor insists the fuel situation is driven by demand rather than supply shortages, urging Australians to stop panic buying.

On Wednesday, Energy Minister Chris Bowen confirmed the government had replaced six oil tankers bound for Australia that had been cancelled.

He also revealed three additional tankers had been secured.

Voluntary measures are on the table, but 'not there yet'

The government has repeatedly said it's too soon to consider fuel rationing, but Mr Bowen has indicated there are several options available to ease pressure.

"There are also voluntary measures that the government can encourage," he said.

"Governments do have [measures] at their disposal, but neither are we at that point."

The opposition is calling on the government to better direct supplies to where they're needed.

"The stocks are there, that's what they keep telling us," Opposition Leader Angus Taylor told Channel Nine.

"So the answer has to be simple. Move the stocks to the sold-out servos."

Earlier this week, the government reduced the flashpoint for diesel to allow more fuel into Australia.

It has also released about six days' worth of petrol and five days' worth of diesel from its emergency stockpile as part of an internationally coordinated response to the disruption, and last week temporarily lowered fuel standards so onshore refineries could redirect supplies into the local market.

Business wants 'every option' considered

The Australian Industry Group is calling on national cabinet to consider rationing, cuts to the fuel excise and discounted public transport.

"The federal government should now lay every option on the table," chief executive Innes Willox said.

"Employers report existing supply chains are becoming more fragile and unreliable as other economies take steps to inoculate themselves. Those impacts threaten to ripple through the economy in the time ahead."

He said employers were already seeing workers not turning up and refusing shifts as a result of "deep concern about the future".

The Business Council of Australia says the government must prioritise maintaining fuel supply and supply chains, while also backing increased use of public transport and car pooling.

Both AIG and the Business Council are warning the government to avoid mistakes made during the COVID-19 crisis and ensure a coordinated national approach.

"While this isn't a pandemic, it will have real economic impacts, and we need to work together on practical solutions that support supply and minimise disruption," BCA head Bran Black said.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie believes cutting the fuel excise would actually punish the transport industry as truck operators are already eligible for tax rebates.

"Transport operations don't actually get relief," she told Channel Nine.

"That won't stop that flow in impact across goods into supermarket shelves."

She says the industry wants GST relief for a limited period instead.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-26/pm-calls-second-national-cabinet-over-fuel-crisis/106496520

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La2Qmsb02QQ

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Fuel caps hit cities as supply strains spread beyond regions

COLIN PACKHAM - 26 March 2026

Some petrol stations in metropolitan areas have begun limiting how many litres customers can pump, as supply strains once confined to regional Australia spread into major cities despite assurances fuel inventory remains adequate.

On Sydney’s Northern Beaches, a Shell-branded Viva service station informed customers they could not buy more than 50 litres per vehicle due to supply restrictions, with the filling of jerry cans or external tanks banned. The site is operated by an independent retailer.

The emergence of limits in urban centres marks a shift in the disruption, which until now had been characterised by patchy outages and empty bowsers, predominantly — though not exclusively — in regional areas. Their spread into metropolitan markets suggests the strain is beginning to affect Australia’s largest cities.

The restrictions are not uniform and are typically set at the discretion of individual operators, but the approach is consistent: cap volumes, discourage stockpiling and stretch available supply between increasingly unpredictable deliveries. Industry participants said such measures can vary widely between sites depending on delivery schedules and local demand, with some operators moving earlier than others to protect stock.

While governments and industry closely track how many service stations are running short of fuel, there is no central dataset capturing where purchase limits are being imposed, leaving one of the clearest indicators of stress in the system largely untraced.

The development sits uneasily alongside official messaging that Australia’s fuel supplies remain adequate. Federal authorities have said the disruption is being driven by surging demand as consumers worry about future supply and rising prices, and have urged motorists not to engage in panic buying — warnings some petrol stations say have gone unheeded.

The government has insisted there is no need for fuel rationing, while states have made clear that any formal scheme would need to be led and implemented at a national level, underscoring the political sensitivity.

The market may already be moving in that direction, even in the absence of co-ordinated action.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will convene a second national cabinet on the fuel crisis next week and has abandoned his push for the states to take the lead on petrol rationing, as Japan warns against Labor imposing higher taxes on gas exports while the government moves to secure additional energy supply deals with Asian trading partners.

But for motorists encountering caps at the bowser, the distinction is largely academic. A 50-litre limit is sufficient for only a partial fill for larger vehicles, forcing some drivers — including tradespeople and small businesses — to refuel more frequently or seek out multiple sites.

The crisis has again exposed the fragility of Australia’s just-in-time fuel supply chains, first laid bare during the Covid pandemic. The system is designed to operate efficiently under normal conditions, but offers limited redundancy when disrupted.

Australia relies on imported refined fuels for the bulk of its needs. Importers and the country’s two refiners must hold minimum stocks, but with concern about the longevity of the war in Iran and its potential impact on oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, there is growing alarm about the country’s ability to replenish those stockpiles.

The government could elect to implement restrictions in a bid to preserve stockpiles, though doing so would risk an economic hit and stoke public concern.

Purchase limits are typically among the first visible signs of stress at the retail level, often preceding more widespread shortages or sharper price movements. Their appearance suggests that while fuel continues to flow into the country, the system’s ability to distribute it smoothly is coming under increasing pressure — and that the effects of a tightening market are no longer confined to the margins.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/fuel-caps-hit-cities-as-supply-strains-spread-beyond-regions/news-story/389ecd9788ed3b8f71f6fffb1642a317

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Bowen’s big stick spurs biggest intervention since WWII to secure fuel for bush

Mike Foley and Paul Sakkal - March 26, 2026

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Labor has intervened to secure regional fuel supply chains in one of the most drastic market interventions since petrol rationing during WWII, as Energy Minister Chris Bowen forces suppliers to sell to independent regional service stations that are running on empty.

Bowen’s moves come as the federal government shows signs of tension after weeks of pressure to fix shortages and calls from state leaders for a national approach to fuel conservation.

This masthead revealed on Wednesday that a national cabinet meeting would be held the following Monday, while the Australian Financial Review reported on Thursday that senior ministers had raised concerns with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about “needless secrecy” about the day of the meeting.

Albanese had initially pushed back against leading Australia’s response to the fuel shortages, saying that was the role of the states, but is now expected to discuss a national plan at Monday’s meeting.

Behind the scenes, Bowen is harnessing the mandate provided by the crisis to force companies to get fuel into regional areas.

Typically, wholesale suppliers sell most of their fuel under long-term contracts with major retail chains such as BP, Caltex and Ampol, while independent service stations make short-term deals on the spot market. Since the start of the war, major chains had crowded out the smaller buyers.

Bowen announced last week that the government would release 20 per cent of the nation’s fuel stockpile, which is held by the suppliers. He confirmed yesterday that this fuel, six days’ worth of average national diesel consumption and five days of petrol, was bound for regional areas.

It is the most dramatic intervention by a government in the private fuel industry since ration books were issued to motorists between 1940 and 1950 to reduce demand by 50 per cent.

Independent service stations in regional areas have struggled to keep up with demand in the weeks since the Iran war broke out, spurring panic buying and a doubling of fuel demand, while major retailers remained relatively better supplied under their long-term deals.

To ensure the fuel would go where it is needed in the bush, Bowen forced fuel suppliers to guarantee they would sell to regional independents.

Bowen has not declared a national emergency, which would grant him powers under the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act to control the management, allocation, and distribution of fuel supplies across the country.

But the threat he could do so secured the co-operation of fuel suppliers.

The National Roads and Motorists Association welcomed Bowen’s intervention and said if tougher action were needed in the future, the energy minister should not hesitate to use his emergency powers.

“Our message is: Go hard, minister. Do whatever you have to do. Reach in, shake every branch to make sure that the supply chain works to the benefit of the nation,” NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said.

“If threats don’t work, he can always use the law. However, we’re of the view that with proper government scrutiny, we will get the right outcome for Australia.”

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Bowen said on Thursday that suppliers are delivering more petrol to regional areas than they were at the same time last year. Viva Energy has sent 43 per cent more fuel to regional independent service stations in NSW and 22 per cent more to Queensland. Ampol is sending 40 per cent more to regional independents in NSW, 33 per cent more to Queensland and 19 per cent to Victoria.

“That is catching up with that massive increase in demand that we saw in the days following the 28th of February [attacks on Iran by the US and Israel],” Bowen said.

While Bowen has updates on fuel shortages at every question time this week, opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan said the government should be releasing daily bulletins on service station shortages, just as covid infection numbers were provided by states during the pandemic.

On Thursday, Bowen outlined shortages in all states: in NSW 178 are out of diesel and 48 are completely dry; in Victoria 45 stations have no diesel and 72 no unleaded fuel; in Queensland 55 have no diesel, 33 no regular unleaded; South Australia nine stations have no diesel, 10 no unleaded; Western Australian 40 stations have no diesel, 14 have no unleaded; and in Tasmania five have no diesel.

Albanese again urged people to use only as much fuel as needed, as Labor pleaded with One Nation to avoid panicking consumers.

After days of jabs against the opposition, Albanese on Thursday made a point of listing the government’s actions over the past two weeks in question time.

When rationing began in late 1939, Australia had a three-month supply of fuel to carry it through a long-term disruption to supply. In contrast, when the Iran war began on February 28, Australia had around one month’s worth of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.

Panic buying has driven a doubling of demand from motorists, farmers and other fuel users alarmed at the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which supplies about 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply.

However, Asian refineries that supply about 80 per cent of Australia’s fuel may exhaust their stocks of crude oil within a month and it remains unclear how the potential shortfalls could be filled.

A spokesperson for BP said its priority was to maintain supply to its customers and that it was working closely with governments and distributors to deliver fuel to regional areas.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/bowen-s-big-stick-spurs-biggest-intervention-since-wwii-to-secure-fuel-for-bush-20260326-p5ziz4.html

Broken Bay bishop Anthony Randazzo plucked by Pope Leo to become the Vatican’s top Aussie

DENNIS SHANAHAN - 25 March 2026

Pope Leo has personally plucked a Catholic bishop from the NSW central coast, promoted him to Archbishop and appointed him as the most senior, resident Australian in the Vatican.

In a surprise move, Broken Bay Bishop, Anthony Randazzo, has been appointed to head the Vatican’s religious texts and law prefecture and will be posted to Rome in three months.

Bishop Randazzo, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, will become the most senior Australian posted to the curia in the Holy See and the most senior Australian at the Vatican since the late cardinal George Pell was appointed to the fourth highest post as the “treasurer” of the Catholic Church.

The appointment shows the intention of the new Pope to ensure a rigorous interpretation of what is correct and acceptable church law and teaching across the global Catholic Church and the Eastern orthodox churches.

Bishop Randazzo is a graduate in canon law from the pontifical Gregorian University and spent five years in Rome between 2004 and 2009 at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

“I am profoundly grateful to Pope Leo for the confidence and trust he has placed in me,” ­Archbishop Randazzo told The Australian.

Pope Leo personally informed Bishop Randazzo of the appointment at a meeting in the Vatican two weeks ago after the Australian bishop had been delayed in Dubai after an Iranian missile hit the airport in the United Arab Emirates city.

Although Bishop Randazzo thought he may have to abandon the trip and return to Australia the Vatican insisted he come to Rome, where the Pope informed him of his plans in an hour-long personal meeting in Rome.

Bishop Randazzo returned to Australia but will leave for the post in three months.

The Dicastery for Legislative Texts serves the Pope in promoting and safeguarding the proper understanding, interpretation, and application of canon law across the Latin Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, ensuring that ecclesiastical laws are applied with fidelity, clarity, and juridical precision.

As Prefect, Archbishop Randazzo will oversee the Dicastery’s work in formulating authentic interpretations of universal Church law, offering authoritative clarifications on juridical questions, and assisting in the development and refinement of canonical legislation.

Bishop Randazzo’s posting to Rome is the second surprise Papal appointment for Australian Catholics after Pope Francis in 2024 appointed Mykola Bychok, then the bishop of the Eparchy Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians, as a cardinal.

Bishop Bychok, a Redemptorist priest, was born in Ukraine in 1980 and served in Lviv in Ukraine, Poland and later in Serbia and Russia. He continues to serve in Melbourne as a Cardinal. But Cardinal Bychok is not an Australian Cardinal and there has been no Australian Cardinal since the death of Cardinal Pell in 2023. Cardinal Pell was posted from Sydney to the Vatican in 2014 with a brief to reform the antiquated finances of the Catholic Church and successfully uncovered millions of lost euros and corruption within Vatican spending.

Bishop Randazzo, who has been the bishop for Broken Bay for the last six years, said: “During my time as bishop of the Diocese of Broken Bay, the clergy and faithful have been a true joy in my ministry. I remain forever grateful to God, who entrusted me with the care of His flock.

“It has also been both a privilege and a joy to walk the journey of faith with the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross in Australia, an experience that has embodied the reality of lived ecumenism.”

Bob Prevost, as a bishop, before he became Pope Leo XIV, visited Australia four times, going to Brisbane and Cairns, Melbourne, Bendigo and Sydney – including the Diocese of Broken Bay which takes in northern Sydney and the central coast.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/broken-bay-bishop-anthony-randazzo-plucked-by-pope-leo-to-become-the-vaticans-top-aussie/news-story/9411d5e193e9445527ffab78943f2941

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2026/03/25/260325a.html

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Bondi hero Ahmed Al Ahmed awarded symbolic key to the city and recognised for bravery during terror attack

Shannon Corvo - 26 March 2026

Bondi hero Ahmed Al Ahmed has been awarded a key to the city and a lifetime beach parking pass for his bravery during the December 14 terror attack.

The 43-year-old went viral after footage showed him sneaking up behind one of the two gunmen shooting at attendees of a Jewish event and wrestling a long-barrelled gun away from him.

He was shot several times following the altercation, requiring multiple surgeries at St George Hospital.

Fifteen people were killed at the Hanukkah celebration, called Chanukah by the Sea at Archer Park, with the youngest only 10 years old.

The father-of-two was presented with the gifts to honour his heroism at a ceremony hosted by Waverley Council, where Bondi Beach is located.

Recognition of 'unflinching resolve'

A video message from New South Wales Premier Chris Minns was played for the audience, in which he thanked and praised Mr Ahmed for his actions, which "showed the nation and the world what true Australian courage looks like".

"Without a second thought and without a sense of your own self-preservation, you put your own life at risk to save people you'd never met before," he said.

Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh said footage of Mr Ahmed disarming one of the gunmen "has become synonymous with heroism and the bravery of ordinary Australians displayed during that day".

"When confronted by hatred in the worst form, you acted with urgency and unflinching resolve," he said.

"The story of Hanukkah itself is about shining a light on darkness, of being brave when confronted with evil, and making a worthy contribution to our world, and I think we would all agree that this perfectly describes Ahmed.

"We all pray that you make a full and speedy recovery from your injuries."

Cr Nemesh said the Waverley community was "grateful" for what he did, and that the key to the city was "council's greatest recognition and symbolises our everlasting gratitude".

Mr Ahmed then became the second person in the council's history to receive a lifetime beach parking permit for the LGA, which also includes Bondi.

'We say to you, our beaches are your beaches and you will forever have a place here in Waverley," Cr Nemesh said.

'Courage beyond courage'

Governor of New South Wales Margaret Beazley also spoke at the ceremony, acknowledging Mr Ahmed's injuries sustained during the encounter.

She said his actions brought to her mind the motto of surf lifesaving: "Whomsoever you see in distress, recognise in them a fellow human being."

"What you exposed yourself to, I suspect no-one can fully gauge personally, other than to have an appreciation that it was courage beyond courage," Ms Beazley said.

"It was that good person in you, in which we and the rest of the community thanks you and stands in awe."

After making the joke, "Nothing's as good as a parking sticker," Ms Beazley presented Mr Ahmed with two gifts.

The first was a governor's coin, and the second a Christmas decoration.

'My heart cries'

Mr Ahmed thanked the attendees and officials, then opened up about the fateful day.

"With that day when I just enter Bondi … it was very easy. I don't know. It was God; God's choice to make everything by minute, by number. All the situation was 10 minutes from when I [had arrived]," he said.

"I feel honestly for all those lost and still I feel sadness about Bondi and my heart cries, but what I want to say, we have to be strong and stand with each other and wish peace for this beautiful land."

Mr Ahmed also shared a story about going to the barber before the ceremony, where he claimed someone said: "I still don't understand how you run into the guy with a gun … no-one can do that."

"I said, 'why can no-one do it?' If you have a heart and if you are Australian, and when you see someone evil come to hurt your people, are you going to stand and watch and look?'" he said.

"Myself, I'm choosing myself as Australian, as a good citizen, everyone has to go in and show in for Australia and for all our family."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-25/bondi-hero-ahmed-al-ahmed-awarded-key-to-city-terror-attack/106495970