Australia’s Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, has clarified that the country’s often-mentioned fuel reserve of approximately 30 days includes supplies that are en route but have not yet arrived. This revelation offers new insight into how Australia’s fuel reserves are calculated.

The nation’s reserves reportedly cover around 38 days’ worth of petrol, alongside about 30 days each for diesel and jet fuel. These figures have been frequently cited, especially amid rising tensions near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint.

Plibersek’s comments emerged during a heated exchange with Nat Barr on the Sunrise program. The discussion focused on the Albanese government’s strategy to tackle the mounting fuel shortages, exacerbated by the cancellation or delay of six tankers destined for Australia due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

During the dialogue, Barr questioned Plibersek about the 30-day fuel supply estimate, asking if it truly reflected the fuel physically available within Australia. Plibersek responded by explaining the methodology behind the reserve calculations.

She emphasized that fuel security assessments have traditionally included both the stock on hand within Australia and that which is currently being shipped to the country.

‘It’s measured in the fuel stocks that we’ve got in Australia, and ships that are headed here as well,’ she said.

Plibersek added: ‘We absolutely acknowledge that there are problems in getting fuel supplies to regional areas.’

But Barr highlighted that shortages had also hit some stations in metropolitan areas.

A frustrated Barr interrupted: ‘This is in Neutral Bay in Sydney! It’s in the city. In Sydney, there are dozens of stations empty, like the little sign, no fuel.’

Tanya Plibersek clashed with Sunrise host Nat Barr and Oner Nation MP Barnaby Joyce on Monday

‘Out of order’ signs are displayed on empty pumps at an Ampol petrol station in Sydney after running out of fuel

Plibersek said the government had released petrol from its emergency stocks and appointed a national fuel coordinator to tackle distribution issues.

‘The most helpful thing people could do is just buy the fuel they need and no more,’ Plibersek said.

‘We’ve got our two refineries working overtime, all of that fuel staying in Australia, and we’re negotiating with our countries in the region to make sure that the supplies keep coming.

‘We are absolutely on the issue of fuel distribution, and we’re working very closely with the states and territories on that as well.’

Barr said many motorists were still being left in the dark by the government about the shortages.

‘No one knows why stations are empty though. Can’t quite work that out,’ Barr said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been phoning his global counterparts to try to shore up Australia’s fuel stocks over the coming weeks.

Australia is heavily reliant on fuel imports, bringing much of it in from South Korea and Singapore, which in turn rely on oil from the Middle East.

Robinvale in Victoria (pictured on Saturday) is among a host of regional towns that have run out of fuel

Albanese was working the phones to ensure Australia’s imports were not forgotten in the global rush for oil, Assistant Foreign Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said.

‘The prime minister’s negotiating with our Asian neighbours and counterparts to try and maximise the amount of fuel that is available in Australia,’ he told Sky News on Monday morning.

Thistlethwaite suggested Australia could leverage its natural gas exports to incentivise countries such as South Korea to continue sending fuel.

The International Energy Agency has suggested encouraging people to work from home in a bid to reduce demand for petrol, a move the government described as ‘sensible’ on Sunday.

In response to the shortages, fuel companies have increased their imports from the United States in response, Labor minister Mark Butler said on Monday.

‘We’re seeing, as I understand it, an increase in shipments from the US that we haven’t seen for many, many years,’ he told Nine’s Today program.

‘I think the companies, but also the government, (are) working very hard to make sure that we can get supplies from wherever possible,’ he said.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jane Hume said stronger supply chains were the solution to the fuel crisis.

‘The way to deal with the crisis we’re facing now is to address those distribution channels and to make sure that we have the supply chains in place to deliver fuel where it’s needed,’ she told ABC TV.

‘Without that, the economy simply runs to a stop.’