Fuel Security Announcement
The coronavirus outbreak has exposed Australia’s weak fuel security policy and shown how vital it is to protect and strengthen our fuel refining capabilities.
When the next crisis hits, Australia currently only has 50 days of fuel available. We’d run out of petrol within weeks and the shelves in supermarkets would be empty within days. It’s not good enough, and the AWU is calling for change.
Your union has partnered with the Australasian Refineries Operatives Committee (AROC) to call on State and Federal Governments address this crisis. In our comprehensive report, we’ve laid out a roadmap to:
- Secure and upgrade our remaining refineries
- Reduce our reliance on overseas imports
- Increase crude oil storage capacity by at least 4,000 million litres
- Increase the use of local crude oil in production
- Strengthen transport links between our North-Western oil fields and our existing refineries.
We’ve shown how this can be achieved with just an extra 1.12c per litre at the pump. When it comes to Australia’s economy and national security, we can’t afford to take risks or do things on the cheap.
In an important step forward, the federal government has already responded to AWU pressure and announced some support for our 4 oil refineries, but they must do more to protect our national security.
Rest assured, the AWU is doing everything in our power to keep Australia’s refining industry pumping, our economy strong and our country safe. If you have any questions about the report, reach out to your local delegate or organiser.
Read the full report on improving Australia’s fuel security online here.
In unity,
Peter Lamps
State and Branch Union Secretary
The Australian Workers’ Union
Amalgamated AWU (SA) State Union