Australian Fuel Security Undermined by ‘She’ll Be Right’ Attitude
Experts are warning that Australia’s pursuit of efficiency coupled with a “she’ll be right” attitude has put the country’s fuel supply in danger. Many are also concerned that the federal government’s recent efforts to address the problem are not enough to eliminate any vulnerabilities.
The comments come as the Australian Parliament looks set to pass the Fuel Security Bill 2021, which will compel the oil industry to maintain stock levels above a certain threshold and solidify a government pledge to subsidise local refining operations.
Anthony Richardson, a research fellow at the Future Social Service Institute at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, said Australian supply chains had been too focused on keeping costs low, which has eroded the resilience of the system.
The loss of Melbourne's Altona oil refinery, on top of the looming Kwinana closure in Perth, raise fresh concerns about the nation's ability to produce enough fuel if shipping and supply chains are ever severely disrupted, writes Gareth Hutchens.