The Prime Minister is preparing to hold crisis talks with state and territory leaders amid ongoing concerns about the country’s fuel supplies.
It’s the second meeting of National Cabinet since the conflict in the Middle East broke out.
Leaders are expected to discuss measures to help reduce fuel use.
However, the federal government has ruled out enforcing COVID-style mandates such as working from home.
State and territory leaders will push for more detailed information on the nation’s fuel supply and greater transparency on Canberra’s contingency plans.
That includes plans for rationing fuel supplies if needed.
But Energy Minister Chris Bowen denies that rationing is inevitable.
“No, I don’t think so. But of course, governments are meeting, including today on prudent planning,” Bowen told the ABC.
“I think the important thing here is that Australians should have reassurance that after having been through COVID not that long ago, where the rules were changed quickly, and governments were scrambling, that’s not our approach in this instance.
“We want to see a coordinated approach. We want to see the lessons of COVID learned.
“You don’t just jump from one situation to the other. You talk about how we’ll manage an unfolding situation together. That will certainly be what we’ll be putting to the first ministers, AND that’s rational and sensible.”
New powers to allow the government to underwrite the delivery of additional fuel shipments to shore up supply will be introduced to the parliament today.
It comes as families weigh up their Easter holiday plans amid soaring petrol prices.
As of Monday morning, the cheapest price for regular unleaded on the Gold Coast was 249.5 cents a litre at Liberty in Helensvale and Helensvale North, United at Arundel and Hope Energy at Arundel and Biggera Waters.
The cheapest price for diesel was 315.4 cents a litre at Ampol Labrador, with several service stations charging 315.5 cents.
