Matt Thistlethwaite, a deputy at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs, told Sky News that “last week I met with the Japanese minister and asked that supplies of petroleum products continue,” and that Japan had given a clear commitment to maintain deliveries. He said he received comparable assurances from officials in South Korea and Singapore following follow-up calls.
Australia relies on imports for most of its refined petroleum because it has only two domestic refineries. Its main suppliers include South Korea, Singapore and Japan.
On April 2, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he expects Asian partners, including South Korea and Japan, to provide stable supplies of petroleum products.
“We expect the countries that supply our fuel to honor existing contracts,” Albanese said. “This is the principle of reciprocity, and I believe it is crucial as we move forward.”
Since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East, Australia has experienced disruptions to fuel distribution, with shortages of certain fuel grades reported at hundreds of service stations nationwide.
