Australian authorities have encouraged citizens to proceed with their Easter travel plans despite mounting pressure on fuel supplies caused by ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The appeal comes as power outages affected hundreds of fuel stations on Saturday, particularly in rural areas, disrupting fuel distribution across parts of the country.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen urged calm and restraint, emphasizing the importance of the holiday period.
“Easter is a very special occasion both religiously and for families. We encourage people to go ahead with their travel plans, but not to purchase more fuel than necessary,” he said in televised remarks.
Australia, which imports around 90 percent of its fuel, has been facing supply shortages as the regional conflict enters its sixth week.
The situation has already led some citizens to cancel travel plans for the long weekend, typically one of the busiest travel periods in the country.
Bowen noted that current reserves include approximately 39 days of petrol, 29 days of diesel, and 30 days of aviation fuel.
According to officials, 312 out of roughly 8,000 service stations nationwide are currently without diesel, with the majority located in rural regions where resupply takes longer.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation, warning that economic shocks linked to the Middle East conflict could persist for several months.
He also encouraged the public to consider using public transportation where possible.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as efforts are made to stabilize fuel distribution across the country.
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