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Sam Clifton, co-owner of Transwest Fuels, has reported that fuel supplies at his stations across regional New South Wales and Queensland are critically low due to an “unprecedented collapse in supply availability.”
Clifton highlighted that some independent regional chains like Transwest are either already “completely out of fuel” or rapidly approaching that point, as national wholesalers prioritize metro areas for fuel distribution.
He expressed his frustration, calling it “disgraceful” that rural communities are being the first to experience these shortages.
“The major retailers are receiving preferential treatment from the big players,” Clifton remarked.
While Transwest Fuels has a limited amount of diesel left, Clifton warned that this supply will not last much longer.
“Animals will start dying, crops are going to suffer,” Clifton added.
”One farmer I spoke to had just 1000 litres left.”
The opposition has written to the government for help monitoring prices for farmers.
”Australians should understand that while they can go to the servo and fill up, our farmers aren’t getting their supplies,” Nationals Leader David Littleproud said yesterday.
“If they run out, they can’t produce your food and fibre.”
If supply dries up completely, Clifton said around 100 employees at his company face losing their jobs.
“If we go down, there will be no jobs for them,” he added.
Clifton called on the federal government to protect regional communities from more supply shortages by building refineries in rural areas.
Westlink Petroleum’s Danny Kreitzer also told 2GB’s Ben Fordham that the diminishing supply was getting “serious”.
“We’re getting about 45,000 litres a day out, which is probably 10 per cent of what we need.”
Drivers panic-buying fuel as prices surge above $2 per litre around the country has worsened the domestic pressure on petrol supply, motoring bosses said.
“What we are now seeing is some service stations running low on supply and that is because Australians are buying fuel at a far greater rate than they normally would,” NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said.
Khoury said he has also heard “troubling” reports of people trying to stockpile fuel at home.
“Which, apart from not making an economic sense, is also extremely dangerous,” Khoury said.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen last week confirmed that Australia had 34 days of diesel, 32 days of jet fuel and 36 days of petrol available.
Assistant Foreign Minister Matt Thistlethwaite told Sky News today that this was the “normal” reserve capacity, even without a conflict threatening global oil supply.
“We’ve got well over a month’s worth of diesel and unleaded petrol,” Thistlethwaite said.
“The majority of our fuel doesn’t actually come through the Strait of Hormuz.
“It comes from other means and most of that is still getting to Australia.”
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