Nat Barr clashed with Environment Minister Murray Watt in a fiery live TV interview as tensions rise over fuel shortages and parts of regional Australia run dry.
The Albanese Government announced last week it was relaxing fuel quality standards, allowing petrol with higher sulphur content to flow into the domestic market for the next 60 days.
The decision is still awaiting full approval, with paperwork unlikely to be finalised until week’s end, meaning many regional towns, where petrol stations have already run dry, could remain without fuel for days.
The fast-tracked decision was made in response to shortages driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which may last several weeks.
‘When will farmers finally get this extra fuel?’ Barr demanded of Watt.
Watt insisted the Government was ‘working around the clock’ to restore supply, arguing Australia currently holds 37 days’ worth of petrol reserves and 30 days of diesel, far more than under the former Coalition government.
He acknowledged the shortages, but argued they stem from long‑term structural failures.
Watt also took aim at One Nation MP, and former Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, who appeared alongside him on the panel.
Nat Barr clashed with Environment Minister Murray Watt in a fiery live TV interview as tensions rise over fuel shortages and parts of regional Australia run dry
‘We’re making do with what we’ve got… I recognise there are parts of the country experiencing shortages,’ Watt said.
‘Things would be a lot better if we still had the six oil refineries Australia had when Barnaby was in power. We now only have two.’
Barr pushed back with real-world examples, citing service stations like Happy Valley Store in northwest Victoria, which has run out of fuel and is rationing customers to $50 each.
‘He’s run out of fuel, he’s not happy at the Happy Valley Store,’ she said.
Watt insisted the Government is moving as quickly as possible.
Joined by Joyce, Watt faced further criticism.
Joyce conceded the refineries should never have closed, but he shifted the blame to Labor instead, arguing its climate policies and the safeguard mechanism were responsible.
He argued delays in approving high-sulphur fuel were creating unnecessary chaos for farmers and transport operators.
Watt insisted the Government was ‘working around the clock’ to restore supply
‘We need to clearly define where that fuel can be used… but this is happening because of a mad climate policy agenda,’ Joyce said.
‘We’re hurting because of this. There’s been no plan.’
Joyce claimed Australia faces a broader supply crunch, including shortages of plastics vital for farming and water infrastructure.
‘This is going to smack us between the eyes,’ he warned. ‘We’re heading towards drought, and we can’t get polythene pipe.’
Barr pressed Watt again.
‘Did the Government anticipate fuel disruption when the conflict in Iran escalated and the Strait of Hormuz, a critical supply route, came under threat?’ she asked.
Watt held his ground, insisting the Government had prepared early and increased reserves, and pushed back at Joyce’s criticisms.
‘We’ve got more fuel in the country now than when we came to office,’ he said.
Watt acknowledged there were shortages, but argued they stem from long‑term structural failures
Barr snapped back: ‘It doesn’t matter whose problem it is. We have towns with no fuel.’
The Albanese Government continues to blame former Coalition policies for the current crisis, with the Opposition hitting back.
Coalition sources argue their actions prevented an even deeper collapse in fuel security, pointing to the Fuel Security Services Payment: a $2.4billion underwriting scheme designed to keep the Lytton and Geelong refineries operating.
According to the Coalition, both refineries were at serious risk of closure without their intervention.
They also highlight that the same legislation established the Minimum Stockholding Obligation, requiring Australia to maintain minimum onshore fuel reserves, a move which received bipartisan support at the time.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15649415/Nat-Barr-fuel-shortage-Australia-Middle-East-Iran.html
