By political reporter Maani Truu/ ABC News.
Anthony Albanese has asked Australians to trade their cars for public transport if they can, while reassuring those who need to drive they can continue to do so, as the global oil crisis continues with no clear end in sight.
The prime minister issued the plea in a rare address to the nation, which was broadcast simultaneously on all radio and television networks this evening.
Speaking directly to the public, he acknowledged that the oil crisis and subsequent spike in petrol prices had made “it hard to be positive”, but urged Australians to “go about your business and life as normal”.
“Enjoy your Easter, and if you’re hitting the road, don’t take more fuel than you need, just fill up like you normally would. Think of others in your community, in the bush and in critical industries,” he said.
“And over coming weeks, if you can switch to catching the train or bus or tram to work, do so.
“That builds our reserves and it saves fuel for people who have no choice but to drive.”
The average fuel price per litre fell today, as the government slashed the fuel excise in half for three months.
Mr Albanese announced the cost-of-living relief measure earlier this week, alongside a four-step fuel action plan, agreed to by state and territory leaders during an emergency national cabinet meeting.
Australia is currently in stage two of the government’s plan, and Mr Albanese has said the country is a “substantial” distance from escalating to the third and fourth levels, which will involve more targeted actions to preserve fuel stocks.
The prime minister listed other measures the federal government had taken during his three-and-a-half-minute address, including dropping the road user charge for trucking operations to zero for three months.
“We are working to bring the price of fuel down, to make more fuel here, and to keep it onshore,” he said.
“And get more fuel here, using our strong trading relationships with our region to bring more petrol, diesel and fertiliser to Australia.”
More on fuel price
Since the beginning of the crisis, Mr Albanese has sought to smother rising panic with repeated reassurances that fuel deliveries are arriving as scheduled.
Australia currently has about 30 days’ worth of diesel, 39 of petrol and 30 of jet fuel held in reserve, while all shipments through to May have been secured.
The following months “may not be easy”, Mr Albanese said, acknowledging that no government could promise to eliminate the pressures the war was causing.
“I can promise that we will do everything we can to protect Australia from the worst of it,” he said.
“These are uncertain times, but I am absolutely certain of this: we will deal with these challenges in the Australian way, working together and looking after each other, as we always have.”
An Australian prime minister has not interrupted live broadcasts with an address to the nation since Scott Morrison in the early days of the COVID pandemic.
At the time, Mr Morrison sought to reassure the public that Australia was “well prepared” and “well equipped” to deal with the virus.
United States President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver an update on the Iran war in his own address to the nation tomorrow, Australian time.
