An Australian advocate for emergency preparedness has issued a cautionary message to residents, urging them to brace for potential supply shortages and escalating costs as tensions in the Middle East grow.

Joshua Stephens is among a rising number of Australians gearing up to safeguard themselves and their loved ones against looming threats. These threats could range from natural disasters to societal collapse, or even the onset of global conflict.

“Experts are suggesting that petrol prices could soar to $3 per litre across the nation if the unrest persists,” Stephens noted.

“The impact goes beyond just filling up your car—fuel is critical for transportation, food distribution, agricultural machinery, shipping, and power production,” he explained.

“As fuel costs rise, so too do the costs of groceries, freight services, and electricity,” he added.

Stephens advises Australians to steer clear of panic buying and instead concentrate on straightforward measures to bolster household resilience. This includes stocking up on essential pantry items, securing a supply of water, assembling an emergency kit for vehicles, and maintaining basic power and medical resources.

‘Don’t go blowing your life savings and clearing out supermarket shelves,’ he said.

‘What you should be doing is, when you do a normal weekly shop, start adding a few extra items in as a buffer because small additions over time create a significant buffer.’

He said any pressure on global supply chains would be felt locally not because food is running out, but because supermarkets rely on tightly timed logistics and frequent deliveries.

Joshua Stephens (pictured) runs the Prepared Australia social media channels to help Aussies prepare for the fallout from the war in the Middle East

Motorists line up for fuel to beat the rising cost of petrol as war rages in the Middle East

Residents look on as flames and smoke rise from an oil storage facility struck as attacks hit Iran’s capital Tehran during the US and Israeli military campaign

‘We saw this during the pandemic – empty shelves and people panic buying, and if supply chains start slowing down, they will actually struggle to catch up,’ he said.

‘Food preparation isn’t about starvation. It’s about avoiding chaos.

‘You want to aim for 14 to 30 days of food at home – the simple staples: rice, pasta, oats, flour, beans, lentils, tinned tuna, tin chicken, tinned vegetables, peanut butter, cooking oil.

‘These foods are cheap, calorie dense and have a long shelf life.’

Primara Research data analyst Peter Drennan said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz poses a major threat to global energy markets, with roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil transported through the vital shipping chokepoint.

‘The good news is there is over 4.3 million barrels per day in extra oil production capacity in OPEC+ to offset the closure of the Strait,’ he said.

‘The problem is 75 per cent of that is held by supplies that need to transit the Strait of Hormuz.’

He warned the situation amounts to a ‘global energy emergency unfolding in real time’, and Australia could be exposed, with long‑running concerns the nation falls short of the International Energy Agency’s 90‑day on‑shore fuel reserve requirement.

Any pressure on global supply chains would be felt locally not because food is running out, but because supermarkets rely on tightly timed logistics and frequent deliveries

Energy Minister Chris Bowen (pictured) said while there are real challenges, there is no need for panic-buying in advice reminiscent of the Covid toilet paper shortages

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has confirmed Australia holds 36 days of petrol, 34 days of diesel and 32 days of jet fuel.

Mr Stephens said if global oil supply tightens, Australians would see immediate impacts.

‘You’d see price hikes at the bowser and long queues at petrol stations,’ he said.

‘People will start running their fuel tanks longer than they should, and once that happens, something else follows. Cars begin running out of fuel on the road, roads clog, vehicles get abandoned and suddenly getting home becomes a lot harder.’

He said strained energy systems can also trigger power outages, urging households to keep at least a large power bank on hand.

‘It’s not always a nationwide blackout. Sometimes it’s just short interruptions or local grid failures, but even short blackouts can cause big problems,’ he said.

‘Your phone dies, the lights go out, the internet drops, and mobile networks start to slow down, and something that you rely on every single day becomes unreliable, and when people lose access to information, that’s where rumours start to spread.

‘And when that happens, people start guessing, and guessing that leads to panic.

‘The goal is to keep communication alive. Start simple: get a large power bank so you can charge your phone and stay updated on what’s happening in your area.’