As of Tuesday, 24 March, US President Donald Trump has announced a five-day pause in US attacks against energy infrastructure in Iran following what he said were “productive talks”.
Formerly threatening to attack Iranian power stations if the country to did not open the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping traffic (where Australia gets 20 percent of their oil reserves), Trump has suddenly hit pause of his plans, citing “discussions” with Iran.
The Israeli Defence Forces have continued to launch a new wave of strikes on Tehran and have announced they will continue to do so unless given government directives to do otherwise.
Strikes have also been launched by Iran on Israel.
The World Health Organisation has since announced (as of March 19) that they are preparing for a “worst-case scenario” nuclear threat in the event of the US/Israeli-Iran war escalating.
But how has this war affected Australians?
It would be hard not to see the giant rise in fuel prices or a sudden shortage of petrol and diesel at the pump.
Across the country, fuel stations are quickly running out of fuel, and it can’t all be blamed on the war in the Middle East.
Despite pleas for Australians to continue purchasing fuel when (and only when) they need it, within hours of the first strike in late February, car drivers were chomping at the bit to stockpile fuel before prices spike. This phenomenon – now called “panic buying” (not dissimilar to the toilet paper debacle from the COVID lockdowns) – has resulted in a significantly higher shortage in fuels, with several stations running out entirely.
Across the country, measures have been taken to stop the demand for fuel, including the enforcement of a 50 litre per person cap on diesel and petrol.
Other suggestions have included a $100 per person cap, however, nothing has been confirmed in this regard.
Currently, the Australian Government’s advice on conserving fuel is to “drive slow”, avoid air travel and to work from home where possible.
In some countries across Asia, a four-day work week has been enforced to limit the amount of driving workers are doing. It was declared that Wednesday would be a non-workday. In Sri Lanka, motorists are limited to 15 litres of petrol or diesel per week, with public transport allocated 200 litres per week.
In Thailand, the use of jerry cans has been banned.
For now, where driving is impossible to miss, the Government recommends Australians do all they can to conserve fuel in their cars, with some advice including:
Carry less weight in the car,
Maintain correct tyre pressure,
Use the fuel recommended for your vehicle (not higher),
Use windows strategically,
Avoid aggressive acceleration and braking,
Anticipate stops,
Maintain a steady speed with cruise control,
Compare fuel prices before filling up,
Drive slower.
While it is impossible to guess what might happen in the future, one thing remains. Everyone is in the same situation. Be kind to other motorists, fuel station workers and others on the road.
In Cootamundra, residents have seen a dramatic spike in fuel prices, as one of the quickest rising states.
As of March 25, U91 sits anywhere between 272.9 to 295.9, U95 sits between 276.9 to 299.9, U98 between 285.9 and 299.9, with diesel significantly spiking between 325.9 to 332.9 per litre.
Wholesale terminal gate prices have jumped upwards of 80 cents or more per litre, hitting locals hard.
Should the current trends continue, diesel may push above 400 per litre.
With fuel costs soaring, alternatives are seeing renewed interest, such as electric vehicles, which has seen an accelerated increase in sales.
Alternative modes of transportation, such as e-bikes, have also seen a significant growth in sales, with an expected increase on the charts.
For many residents in Cootamundra, purchasing an electric vehicle or alternative mode of transportation isn’t an option, with many requiring heavy vehicles (such as four-wheel-drives and utility vehicles) to transport feed and machinery for farming.
Restricting fuel access (whether through financial or weight limitations) will not solve any solutions for residents.
Rises in fuel prices are not the only increase residents should expect to see with travel fare (bus, train and plane) expected to rise in addition to groceries.
Fuel apps, such as PetrolSpy, FuelCheck NSW or FuelRader are useful websites and applications to consider when searching for the cheapest fuel prices.
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