Portfolio — 8 April 2026

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy used today's media release to provide an updated national fuel supply picture, with the headline figure showing 221 service stations without diesel — 2.8 per cent of the national total — continuing a downward trend in stock-outs across all states [TA-260408-climat-5c6990ad5c86]. Petrol reserves stand at 39 days and diesel at 30 days, with no cancellations of expected deliveries reported.

Fuel companies have contracted supply extending into May, and the Minister confirmed active international engagement with South East Asian counterparts, specifically Malaysia and Singapore, to underpin that position [TA-260408-climat-5c6990ad5c86].

The most significant policy signals in today's release concern gas and the domestic reservation framework. The Minister flagged the potential trigger of the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism if a small shortfall materialises, and confirmed that a gas reservation policy — covering 15 to 25 per cent of domestic supply — is in advanced consultation, with 53 submissions received [TA-260408-climat-5c6990ad5c86].

The combination of a possible ADGSM trigger and an advanced reservation framework marks a meaningful escalation in the government's gas policy posture, moving from monitoring to active intervention readiness.

On the fuel excise cut, the Minister reaffirmed the government's intention to hold the measure for its announced three-month duration, with any reassessment deferred to close to the expiry date. On Queensland's Taroom oil exploration proposal, the Minister held the line that decisions must rest on economics and engineering, environmental approvals remain mandatory, and no formal request has yet reached the responsible minister — a holding position that avoids foreclosing the proposal while making no commitment.

The 82 per cent renewables target by 2030 was defended directly. The Minister rejected the premise that renewable energy policy contributed to Middle East supply disruption, reaffirming the target as embedded government policy within six sectoral decarbonisation plans. This framing distances the energy transition agenda from the current supply crisis narrative.

Regional diesel shortages for farmers and fishing operators remain an active concern. The Minister attributed the problem to bulk contractual allocation mechanisms and pointed to improving spot-market conditions and increased fuel arrivals in regional areas as early relief signals. This builds on prior reporting of 3.7 billion litres contracted for April delivery, with today's update refining the per-state distribution picture and signalling that the regional bottleneck, while easing, has not resolved.