Vol. No. Vol. 2818No. 3527
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Wednesday, January 13, 2026 2016 Wednesday, March 11,
HOOKED: Anglers gathered along the Wimmera River for the annual Horsham Fishing Competition on Sunday, including Brooke Smith, Jess Ballinger and Stacey Ballinger, pictured. Organisers were pleased with participation numbers, behaviour, and the weather, and are now planning next year’s milestone 50th event. Story, more pictures, pages 14-15. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Fuel pressure mounts F
BY LAUREN HENRY
armers are calling for immediate Federal Government intervention to bolster Australia’s fuel security, as conflict in the Middle East affects the global oil market.
Prices have surged in the past week, with average cost of diesel in the Wimmera $2.13 a litre while the mean unleaded price was $2.08, according to Petrol Spy figures yesterday. But the government is saying the fuel shortage is due to panic-buying by consumers – not a reduced supply due to the oil market volatility. Across the Wimmera, service stations are starting to reduce the amount of fuel that can be purchased. Warracknabeal’s Bentley Group posted to Facebook last week, saying ‘Please note due to the current situation, moving forward we will only be fuelling up vehicles. No fuel trailers. No fuel pods’ and that pricing was out of its control.
Also at Warracknabeal, Werrigar Roadhouse issued a community notice yesterday: “Due to the current increase in fuel demand across Australia, Werrigar Roadhouse will temporarily pause the filling of bulk fuel containers such as IBC containers, fuel pods and fuel trailers. “This decision has been made to ensure fuel remains available for everyday motorists, local families and essential services. Normal vehicle refuelling will continue as usual.” St Arnaud Apex Service Station has also stopped people from filling fuel cells and trailer tanks due to ‘the unknown availability of fuels, and in particular diesel’. “Emergency vehicles are exempt from this. This is on advice from our supplier Lowes Petroleum,” a sign on a fuel pump read. Independent petrol stations in regional Australia are being hardest hit with some either completely out of fuel or fast running low as national
wholesalers ration fuel – service stations in some rural towns in South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland are reportedly out of fuel. United Petroleum confirmed it has suspended normal allocations to distributors across Australia because it was facing ‘serious shortages of fuel’. “United Petroleum is taking the prudent step of suspending all customer allocations across all locations effective immediately while we fully assess our supply position and incoming cargo schedules,” a statement read. While fuel supply affects everyone, farmers in particular rely on access to liquid fuels to operate machinery to harvest crops, and transport produce. Victorian Farmers Federation president and Quambatook farmer Brett Hosking said global events had highlighted vulnerabilities in Australia’s fuel supply chains and ensuring fuel security was a matter of national importance. The VFF is calling for greater on-
shore fuel reserves to reduce reliance on overseas imports; support for domestic refining capacity to keep at least part of Australia’s liquid fuel supply national; policy settings that recognise fuel security as part of Australia’s critical infrastructure and economic resilience; and further investment into diversified fuel options, such as biofuels. “If our fuel supply runs dry, our agriculture industry and ability to feed millions would stop in a heartbeat,” Mr Hosking said. “We are urging the Federal Government to ensure fuel stock levels, refinery capability and supply chains are strengthened so that farmers aren’t left exposed to international shocks.” Mr Hosking said while Australia held strategic national reserves, they were stored in the United States and would take more than three weeks to reach Australia in the event of a crisis. At the weekend it was reported there was about 36 days’ worth of petrol
stored in Australia, 29 days of jet fuel and 32 days of diesel. “The reality is for a farmer, it’s probably even less because if we do get to that point where there’s only a week or two left, I don’t think they’re going to be prioritising farmers over hospitals and emergency services and defence services ... as they should,” Mr Hosking said. “But what that means is our situation is actually much tighter than what it sounds like.” Mr Hosking said he was among many farmers to request a delivery of fuel to farms in the past week. “It probably won’t even be enough to fully get my crop in,” he said. “We’re definitely going to be relying on a supply chain that is already under pressure before this began and has suddenly experienced new pressure, given what’s happening in the Middle East.” Continued page 3
IN THIS ISSUE • Clarke pleads guilty to Dimboola murder • Ararat, Rainbow festivals • Junior cricket premiers Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
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