A sure way to keep our nation driving: make polluters pay

March 24, 2026 — 12:30pm

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The Middle East crisis sees Australians rightly concerned about the uncertainty of future fuel supplies, and the cost of petrol and diesel. This will soon extend to aviation and shipping fuel. Whatever happens with the war from here will not make the challenges disappear. The government needs to respond with a plan that protects against future shocks, and one is available.

Some will want larger and costly fuel stockpiles; others will urge subsides, so Australia can discover and use locally sourced and refined oil. That would be extremely difficult to achieve even if, against all trends, the oil is in the ground waiting to be discovered. If it is there, it would be costly and take a long time to develop; if it was easy and inexpensive, this would have occurred already.

Further, we currently import 90 per cent of our petrol and diesel and Australia’s existing conventional oil resources are depleting and likely to run out in coming years. While untapped unconventional resources exist – shale oil, for example – they face very high production costs.

Instead, we need a plan that utilises Australia’s natural and continuing advantages, the only true way to self-reliance. The plan also needs to provide some immediate relief to motorists and households. That would involve using Australia’s abundant sun, wind and landmass,........

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