The National Herald editorial explains why Australia’s fuel crisis is real, but blaming it on the government is misleading.
This crisis did not start in Canberra. It stems from global instability, particularly escalating tensions between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, which have disrupted critical oil supply routes, such as the Strait of Hormuz. When global supply tightens, prices rise everywhere, including in Australia.
Claims that Australia could simply source alternative fuel ignore the reality of a globally traded market. Meanwhile, alarmist reporting has helped fuel panic buying, worsening shortages.
The government has responded by strengthening penalties for price gouging, which is hardly the action of an inactive government. Critics, including Angus Taylor, also overlook their own role in weakening Australia’s fuel security through years of declining domestic refining capacity.
Blaming the government for a global crisis is politically convenient but fundamentally dishonest. The real issue lies in international instability and long-term policy decisions that left Australia exposed. Australians deserve solutions, not scapegoats.
Anne Kruger, Rye
