Australia should slow down, work from home, and ditch the car where possible, according to fuel-saving recommendations from the International Energy Agency released this week as the Middle East oil crisis sends shockwaves through global supply chains.
The IEA's measures include cutting highway speeds by 10km/h, working from home where feasible, switching to public transport, reducing air travel, and shifting away from liquefied natural gas in cooking appliances.
Mate, there's a whole continent down here that runs on petrol, and right now the taps are running dry.
Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly one-fifth of global oil flows—came in retaliation for US-Israeli military strikes that began last month. The result: Australia's fuel supply is looking shaky.
As of this week, 42 NSW service stations have run out of petrol entirely, while diesel shortages jumped from 80 to 107 stations. Most are independent operators, the canaries in this particular coal mine.
Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said supplies should hold through April, with the strategic fuel reserve ready to deploy if needed. "It's there for a rainy day," he told SBS, though he cautioned that beyond late April, all bets are off.
The recommendations aren't mandatory—yet. But they're a signal of how serious this is getting. Australia imports most of its refined fuel, leaving it uniquely vulnerable when global supply chains seize up.
The IEA's advice might sound like pandemic-era flashbacks, but this time it's not about flattening a curve. It's about stretching what's left in the tank while the great powers sort out their mess in the Middle East.
And if you think has a backup plan beyond well, you haven't been paying attention to how Australia handles long-term strategic planning.
