Community Members,
I am old enough to have lived through and remember the fuel rationing experienced as a young man in the late 1970’s -1980’s .
I found the act that restricts your ability to buy fuel’s (Petrol and diesel) .
Here it is: Liquid Fuels emergency act 1984 It still remains as part of Australian legislation and active today – 2026!
Facts:
In the event of an actual or likely fuel shortage with national implications, the Governor General may declare a national liquid fuel emergency under the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act 1984(external link) (the Act).
The Act gives the Minister for Climate Change and Energy powers in an emergency to control:
States and territories must be consulted prior to the declaration of a national emergency. An Intergovernmental Agreement (2006) sets out parameters for a co-operative response, and the National Liquid Fuel Emergency Response Plan and supporting documents describe these arrangements.
Essential users under the Act
If fuel rationing is needed during a liquid fuel emergency, some essential goods and services need to continue to be made available to avoid seriously damaging the health or safety of the community. The providers of these essential goods and services are known as ‘essential users’. Essential users may be exempted from rationing during an emergency. They are:
The Retail Rationing Framework governs the way liquid fuel is rationed in Australia. It works by limiting the volume of fuel a motorist can buy up to a pre-defined daily dollar-value.
A Guidance Note on Retail Rationing was agreed by the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee (NOSEC) in 2016 to help retailers and members of the public plan for the unlikely event that retail rationing is required.
Do NOT be surprised if this becomes enacted.
Kel