As Australia’s regional fuel scarcity stretches into its second week, farmers are urging urban dwellers to temporarily give up their cars.
Even though the Albanese administration assures that the country’s fuel reserves are secure, farmers caution that their supplies are dwindling, with some already depleted.
The Victorian Farmers Federation advocates that city residents could alleviate the fuel crisis in rural areas by opting for public transport over personal vehicles until tensions in the Strait of Hormuz subside.
President of the VFF, Brett Hosking, suggests that such a shift could conserve enough fuel to keep agricultural activities like planting and harvesting on track.
“For most Victorians, a fuel shortage means adjusting plans, enduring longer lines, and managing a tighter budget,” Mr. Hosking noted.
“In farming, timing is crucial. Operations hinge on precise weather conditions, and if fuel runs dry at a critical juncture, waiting for prices to drop could mean missing vital opportunities or even losing an entire crop,” he explained.
‘Keeping farmers moving is in everyone’s interest. Victorian farmers grow almost a quarter of Australia’s food and feed millions more across the globe.’
The federation, which represents around 19,000 Victorian farmers, is also calling on the Allan government to make public transport free.
Farmers are asking the Victorian government to make public transport free to encourage commuters to leave their cars at home
Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) President Brett Hosking said the fuel savings could help farmers keep planting, harvesting and producing food
Some farmers have already warned they have run out of fuel and are unable to find supplies
‘If just one in five Victorian car commuters shifted to public transport, the fuel saved would be enough to plant roughly half of Australia’s wheat, barley, canola and lentil crop,’ Mr Hosking said.
‘A little would go a long way. Even taking one or two trips a week on the train, tram or bus instead of driving can leave more fuel in the system for the jobs that keep supermarket shelves stocked.’
The VFF is also calling on the state government to run more services so the system can absorb extra passengers.
‘When the dust settles, the government needs to take a good hard look at the numerous warnings they’ve ignored that’s left us in this predicament. For now, we’re asking for a helping hand to grow the food and make sure it gets to where it needs to go,’ Mr Hosking said.
While the NSW Farmers Association did not officially call for commuters to swap their car for public transport, a spokesperson told the Daily Mail the Minns government must provide an urgent solution to the rural and regional diesel supply.
‘The NSW Government’s roundtable on Monday was promising insofar as they’re asking the right questions, but we continue to get reports from members across the state who are getting more and more stressed about fuel and fertiliser supplies heading into the winter sowing window,’ a NSW Farmers spokesman said.
‘We’re concerned that there’s this continued government talking point that there’s no supply problem, and that this is all because of panic buying. That’s plainly not true in rural areas.
‘Independent bulk fuel distributors – the primary source of farmers’ fuel – say they can’t get their supplies from the terminals.’
Citysiders are being urged to consider ditching their cars and take public transport instead
An emergency national cabinet meeting will be held on Thursday to discuss the fuel crisis
It comes as the federal energy minister, Chris Bowen, confirmed on Wednesday that the nation’s fuel supply remained stable.
‘We’ve been striking agreements, company by company, that they will release more of that fuel into the regions and we’re starting to see some of that flow,’ he told ABC.
‘Our fuel supplies remain solid in terms of what’s coming in and what’s being produced… rationing is not a conversation that we need to have at this point.’
The NSW Farmers spokesman said Bowen must solve ‘today’ is how to get diesel from the terminal to country bulk suppliers.
‘What this reveals is that despite years of repeated warnings about how vulnerable or supply chains are, successive governments have ignored the true problem,’ he said.
‘Australia plainly needs a far better solution to making sure we have the fuel and fertiliser we need here on our shores. That may include making our own diesel and urea, and this is something that seriously needs to be considered.’
An emergency national cabinet meeting will be held on Thursday amid concerns about rising fuel prices and decreasing supplies.
The Daily Mail has contacted Victoria’s transport minister, Gabrielle Williams, for comment.
