NSW government to compel oil companies to explain where extra fuel being sent
Penry Buckley
The NSW government will compel major fuel companies to explain how they will distribute extra fuel released from federal reserves in the first use of emergency powers in the state to address shortages.
Chris Minns announced the measure at a press conference this morning, which follows an earlier “please explain” issued to fuel providers on Friday. But the premier downplayed it was prompted by any suggestions of wrongdoing. He said:
Quite understandably, those major oil companies are dealing with compliance requests from the federal government, from states and from other jurisdictions as well, and in those circumstances, we’ve got incomplete information, which has prompted us to say, look, we understand you’re under the pump, so to speak. We know that you’ve got obligations to your customers and the stock market. We need to have eyes on this information too. Now we’re not going to come in heavy handed, although this is a legal demand, but we’re not doing it in an adversarial way.
The premier says 51 petrol stations are without fuel in the state, while 164 are without diesel, the same numbers as yesterday, but he said that some of the individual stations have changed, with some coming back online as others went offline.
So that would imply that the major oil companies are able to get at least some fuel to stations that have run short.
Minns said 80 of the stations without diesel are in regional NSW, while 84 are in metropolitan Sydney.
The government has also announced the establishment of a fuel emergency operations centre which the premier said would “inform the oil companies about where shortages are today and where they’re likely to be tomorrow, and if necessary, to deploy our extraordinary emergency powers if the need arises in our community”.
Key events
Josh Taylor
ABC Melbourne replaces news with 80s pop hit
ABC radio Melbourne has joined the strike, with mornings host Raf Epstein announcing just before 11am that staff were striking.
He said:
We’re all going out on strike because it’s an argument over how best to provide sustainable, secure work. Staff and management really do agree on you being the priority and providing you with some quality programming. Staff and management disagree on how we get those sustainable and secure jobs. That’s the reason for the strike. We don’t like not talking to you and being with you, but I’ll be back on your radio on Friday morning.
Then it went into the 1988 hit Waiting for a Star to Fall by Boy Meets Girl.
Caitlin Cassidy
Staff are filtering out of the ABC’s back exit in small groups, some raising their fists in defiance. Each time a new group emerges, the crowd of about 100 supporters and union members cheer and clap.
ABC staff begin strike
Amanda Meade
More than 2,000 ABC staff around the country have walked off the job for a 24-hour strike, forcing ABC services across TV, radio and digital to use BBC World Service and repeat programming.
Staff are protesting what they say is a low pay offer from the ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, as well as work conditions and the broadcaster’s refusal to rule out replacing journalists with artificial intelligence.
The strike begins at 11am on Wednesday and ends at 11am on Thursday meaning the 7pm news bulletins and ABC TV’s 7.30 with Sarah Ferguson will be cancelled tonight.
ABC News Breakfast will not air on Thursday morning as journalists, studio crew and directors go on strike.
ABC staff at Sydney’s Ultimo office walked off the job for the first major strike in 20 years.
Representatives from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) are preparing a barbecue for hundreds of striking staff, cooking up snags and buttering loaves of bread.
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), representing technical, operations and studio crew, is also taking part in the strike.
“Stronger Together,” a CPSU banner reads.
Staff at the ABC’s Parramatta office will also congregate at Ultimo via a convoy.
‘Shame on ABC staff’ striking, says shadow communications minister
The shadow communications minister, Sarah Henderson, has attacked ABC staff and journalists who will be going on strike shortly.
Staff are protesting what they say is a low pay offer from the ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, as well as work conditions and the broadcaster’s refusal to rule out replacing journalists with artificial intelligence.
It’s the first time in 20 years that staff at the public broadcaster have gone on strike.
Speaking to journalists at Parliament House, Henderson says the current offer of a 10% increase in salary over three years and an upfront $1,000 bonus is “a pretty good deal”.
There has never been a more important time in this country when we need ABC journalists and other content makers out in the field.
I’m also incredibly concerned that ABC presenters are hijacking news programs to convey false information about this dispute, this is completely unacceptable. ABC presenters are talking about the fact that this is not a fair deal and that they are prosecuting their own case, hijacking news programs which is a breach of their impartiality conditions
I say shame on ABC staff who have made this decision. Australians deserve much better than this.
Caitlin Cassidy
ABC staff prepare to walk out
ABC staff at Sydney’s Ultimo office are about to walk off the job this morning in their first major strike in 20 years.
Representatives from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) are preparing a barbecue for hundreds, cooking up snags and buttering loaves of bread in anticipation for the walk-off.
There are a number of affiliate unions who have also gathered to show their support for ABC union members.
“Stronger Together,” a CPSU banner reads.
Staff at the ABC’s Parramatta office will also congregate at Ultimo via a convoy.
Government should use gas ‘leverage’ in Asia to secure fuel, says Tehan
The shadow energy minister, Dan Tehan, says the government does have leverage over its coal and gas exports and should use that to guarantee supply.
Australia imports oil from Asian nations including Singapore (which released a joint statement with Australia on fuel supply), South Korea and Malaysia.
Tehan tells Sky News there is more anxiety that come mid-to late April, the fuel won’t be arriving in Australia.
What we need to be doing is sitting down and saying to them, that secure supply will continue and we would like you to offer us similar reassurance.
What we need to be doing is to get from them, assurances that what supply they do have that they’re willing to export that, they would look to us first … absolutely we want to be made a priority.
Government needs to ‘come clean’ on fuel shortages, says Hume
Jane Hume says the government needs to tell Australians where fuel shortages are being experienced and where petrol bowsers are being closed, rather than relying on the states.
In question time this week, Chris Bowen has provided numbers on how many bowsers are running empty and service stations closed, when asked.
But Hume says the details should be more granular so people know where to go, and where not to, with the deputy opposition leader telling Sky News:
The government needs to come clean on it exactly where fuel is and where fuel isn’t around all of the states. We can’t simply rely on these daily updates from different premiers. There has to be a central location when we understand where fuel is, where fuel isn’t.
The opposition has created a website where users can log fuel shortages (but it hasn’t yet collated the information so you can’t see what people have submitted).
NSW government to compel oil companies to explain where extra fuel being sent
Penry Buckley
The NSW government will compel major fuel companies to explain how they will distribute extra fuel released from federal reserves in the first use of emergency powers in the state to address shortages.
Chris Minns announced the measure at a press conference this morning, which follows an earlier “please explain” issued to fuel providers on Friday. But the premier downplayed it was prompted by any suggestions of wrongdoing. He said:
Quite understandably, those major oil companies are dealing with compliance requests from the federal government, from states and from other jurisdictions as well, and in those circumstances, we’ve got incomplete information, which has prompted us to say, look, we understand you’re under the pump, so to speak. We know that you’ve got obligations to your customers and the stock market. We need to have eyes on this information too. Now we’re not going to come in heavy handed, although this is a legal demand, but we’re not doing it in an adversarial way.
The premier says 51 petrol stations are without fuel in the state, while 164 are without diesel, the same numbers as yesterday, but he said that some of the individual stations have changed, with some coming back online as others went offline.
So that would imply that the major oil companies are able to get at least some fuel to stations that have run short.
Minns said 80 of the stations without diesel are in regional NSW, while 84 are in metropolitan Sydney.
The government has also announced the establishment of a fuel emergency operations centre which the premier said would “inform the oil companies about where shortages are today and where they’re likely to be tomorrow, and if necessary, to deploy our extraordinary emergency powers if the need arises in our community”.
Victorian government announces plan for three hours of free power a day
Benita Kolovos
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, and energy minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, are holding a press conference this morning to announce a plan to give households three hours of free power in the middle of the day.
Dubbed the “Midday Power Saver,” the government says it will require energy retailers to offer households a discounted tariff for three hours during the middle of the day.
More details, including the time period, will be released in May before it commences in October. People will have to opt-in to the plan via their energy provider.
The government says the free power is only possible thanks to investment in renewable energy, which has meant the state produces more electricity than needed during the day.
It says it will particularly benefit households who can shift their electricity use to the middle of the day but will also reduce peak demand as a result.
Allan said:
This could save families up to $300 per year off their energy bills – more if they have solar and batteries.
We’ll bring you more from the press conference later this morning.
Australians return home on direct flights from Middle East
There are now 8,144 Australians and permanent residents who have returned to Australia from the Middle East on 76 direct flights.
This morning a flight from Dubai to Melbourne arrived with 75 Australians.
There are three more flights scheduled to arrive to Australia today – one from Dubai to Perth, another from Dubai to Sydney, and a third from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne.
Chalmers introduces anti-fuel price-gouging bill
As promised by Chris Bowen yesterday, the treasurer is introducing a bill to give the consumer watchdog powers to hand out bigger fines for price-gouging.
Fines for misconduct under the new legislation will be doubled from $50m to $100m.
Late last week the ACCC had received more than 500 reports of possible price-gouging at petrol stations since the war broke out in Iran.
Introducing the bill, Jim Chalmers says it will:
[Outlaw] false or misleading representation including lying about the reason for price increases, price fixing, colluding on prices and other cartel behaviour.
What we are introducing will empower the ACCC to throw the book at any companies who illegally and unfairly increase their prices since the start of the war.
Chalmers says the bill will also penalise fuel companies refusing to sell to independent retailers.
Government introducing bill to close loophole for child sexual abusers
The government will today introduce legislation that will help close a loophole to stop convicted child sexual abusers from hiding their assets in superannuation and avoid paying compensation to their victims.
The survivors law will allow survivors of child sexual abuse to apply for a court order to access “additional personal or salary sacrifice superannuation contributions” made by the offender if court ordered compensation is unpaid for more than 12 months.
The government says the legislation will also take effect on unfulfilled historical compensation orders if they remain legally enforceable and were awarded in relation to a criminal conviction or finding of guilt for child sexual abuse.
The attorney-general, Michelle Rowland, says:
There can be no opportunity for criminals who are convicted of child sexual abuse to avoid paying compensation to their victims, and I look forward to this vital legislation delivering exactly that.
ABC staff set to strike at 11am
ABC journalists and staff across the country will go on strike today from 11am as they push for better pay and better conditions. That includes many of our ABC colleagues who sit in the office next to ours in the press gallery corridor at Parliament House.
It means things will look and sound a little different this afternoon and tomorrow morning.
Staff are protesting what they say is a low pay offer from the ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, as well as work conditions and the broadcaster’s refusal to rule out replacing journalists with artificial intelligence.
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Where did the $40 fuel cap idea come from?
The government has this morning shut down an idea that motorists could be limited to filling their tanks up to just $40 under a fuel rationing plan.
But where did this suggestion come from?
Former South Australian senator, Rex Patrick, received the government document which includes several possible responses to emergency fuel shortages, through a freedom of information request.
The plan was actually last updated in 2019 (before the Albanese government was elected), even though Patrick received the document in 2024.
This morning, Murray Watt said he’d “knock that one on the head” and confirmed the idea isn’t being considered by Labor.
Shadow foreign minister accuses government of being ‘ill-prepared’ on fuel crisis
The shadow foreign minister, Ted O’Brien, says the government has gone into the fuel crisis “completely ill-prepared”.
Speaking to Sky News, O’Brien says the government’s move to increasing the share of renewables in the grid has worsened the response to the crisis, and accused the energy minister, Chris Bowen, of trying to “outsource responsibility to state governments”.
They went into this crisis completely ill-prepared, and then they found themselves in a state of denial … Now this is the same energy minister who has been on the world stage calling for an end to all fossil fuels. That’s what Chris Bowen has been calling for. Now, of course, we find ourselves in a state of crisis and he is quickly saying, well, what we need more of is fossil fuels.
This is why we’re so ill prepared. We have a government which is driven by ideology and it has left us completely exposed.
