Mali calls emergency SA fuel security roundtable
Petrol prices are smashing way past the $2 a litre mark as Adelaide servos react to fuel shortages. The Premier is convening an emergency roundtable with industry leaders today as calls grow to slash fuel taxes.
Global economic chaos wrought by conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing closure of a key trade route continues to impact South Australians at the bowser.
Most service stations across Adelaide are now selling regular unleaded for almost $2.30 per litre today, according to the RAA’s live petrol tracker app.
The price of diesel in SA last week hit a record high of $2.59 per litre. This has since been further smashed, with most servos selling diesel at $2.70 per litre today.
And oil prices have surged again as the US-Israeli war against Iran enters a third week, putting oil infrastructure at risk and keeping the Strait of Hormuz shut in the world’s largest supply disruption.
Premier Peter Malinauskas has called an emergency round table of industry leaders that he will be chairing at lunchtime today to address the state’s fuel security position.
“Fuel security is a matter for the Commonwealth under our system of government, but as a state government we are more than happy to facilitate the exchange of information between parties,” the Premier said on ABC Radio Adelaide this morning.
“I certainly want to hear first-hand at the round table what some of the experiences people are receiving on the ground, particularly in respect to distribution, what their supply chains look like.
You might like
“I’ll certainly be taking it up to the federal government, where I see it as appropriate.”
The Premier said that Opposition leader Ashton Hurn would receive a briefing after the round table.
Hurn – the MP for the regional electorate of Schubert – said her community was facing distribution challenges.
“There are a lot of farmers concerned about supply,” she said.
“Likewise, costs for mums and dads who are just going about their business.”
Oil prices extended gains at Monday’s open, with Brent crude futures jumping $US2.76 ($A3.95), or 2.68 per cent, to $US105.90 ($A151.53) a barrel after settling $US2.68 ($A3.83) higher on Friday.
Hurn called for relief for motorists, calling on the Federal Government to halve the fuel excise as a temporary response.
Stay informed, daily
The SA Liberals said such a measure could save drivers around $16 on a standard tank of fuel.
Hurn said the tax cut should last three months to help families and businesses cope with diesel and unleaded price increases.
“Right now, households and businesses are absorbing the full impact of rising fuel costs from a global conflict and the Commonwealth can provide immediate relief,” she said.
“A temporary pause on the excise for the next three months would help ensure families aren’t put under more strain and businesses can continue to operate.”
Speaking to InDaily at a CBD service station, Ashley, 54, said she was buying a full tank of petrol today “just in case the prices go up”.
“It hits the budget a bit when you’ve got to fill up,” she said.
“I guess I can’t do too much. You can’t really help the war in the Middle East.”
It comes as more than 400 million barrels of oil from International Energy Agency emergency reserves are set to begin flowing soon.
Stocks from Asia and Oceania countries will be available immediately and stocks from Europe and the Americas will be available at the end of March, the agency said on Sunday, four days after the agreement was announced.
IEA Member countries agreed yesterday to release 400 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves amid market disruptions from the Middle East conflict.
— International Energy Agency (@IEA) March 12, 2026
This is the 6th oil stock release – and the largest – in the IEA's history.
Read more 👉 https://t.co/O9TIXDoqoE pic.twitter.com/FgwZ3SHuVg
US President Donald Trump urged allies to deploy warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump plans to announce a coalition to escort ships through the strategic gateway as soon as this week, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.
Trump also threatened more strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub after the United States hit military targets there on Saturday. The threat drew a defiant response of further retaliation from Tehran.
Iranian drones hit a key oil terminal in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates shortly after the attacks on Kharg.
– With AAP
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.
