Australia news live: one in seven NSW service stations out of at least one fuel type; WA premier issues transparency warning to fuel suppliers | Australia news
One in seven service stations in NSW out of at least one fuel type
Penry Buckley
One in seven service stations in NSW are out of a least one fuel type amid shortages following the conflict in the Middle East, according to data shared by the state government.
In an update provided this morning, the energy department said that 347 of the 2,414 service stations registered in the FuelCheck compliance platform – or just over one in seven – are temporarily out of stock of one fuel type. Fifty-nine stations are out of any type of fuel, and 207 stations are out of diesel, premium diesel, or both.
This is an increase on the numbers provided yesterday, when 314 stations were without at least one fuel, 178 stations were out of stock of at least one type of diesel, and 48 stations were out of all fuel types.
On Monday, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, did not say the overall number of service stations affected by a shortage of some kind, but said 105 fuel stations were without diesel, while 35 did not have any fuel at all.
The NSW government has used an emergency power to issue information notices to the major fuel companies to “determine if the supply of liquid fuel to NSW is, or is likely to be, significantly disrupted”. The penalty for non-compliance is a $220,000 fine.
Key events
Thanks for following along. I’m now handing over to my colleague Cait Kelly, who’ll keep you updated over the afternoon.
A Victorian man has been arrested and interviewed over allegations of koala cruelty, according to the state’s Conservation Regulator.
The regulator, along with Victoria Police, said it was investigating an incident in which a vehicle allegedly dragged a koala along a roadway in Koroit.
The koala was left with serious injuries, and was later found by a member of the public and assessed by a vet. Due the severity of its injuries, the animal was euthanised.
Wildlife cruelty carried a maximum penalty of up to $101,000 and two years imprisonment in Victoria.
Glenn Sharp, Barwon south-west manager of regulatory operations, said:
double quotation mark These allegations describe a distressing and senseless act of wildlife cruelty.We’re particularly keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam or security vision that may assist the investigation.
The Bureau of Meteorology said Narelle was the strongest cyclone the WA town of Exmouth had experienced since tropical cyclone Vance in 1999.
Damage assessments from Cyclone Narelle to come
Klemm continued:
double quotation mark We are aware of a boat [that] has sunk in the canals there in Exmouth.The roof damage at the evacuation centre, we’re aware of that as well.
A full damage assessment would occur when it was safe to do so.
double quotation mark We really appreciate the community and their patience in dealing with the warnings.We’re dealing with a particularly complex and difficult cyclone, which is incredibly large.
The damage from Cyclone Narelle so far
The department of fire and emergency services commissioner, Darren Klemm, said there had been 25 calls for assistance across the Pilbara, mostly for roof damage and water ingress.
The town of Exmouth currently had no power, he said.
Severe effects were still expected from the western Pilbara coast to the northern Gascoyne, and extending south.
The cyclone sytem will be overland between Coral Bay and Cape Cuvier on Friday afternoon.
Emergency services minister for WA delivers update on Cyclone Narelle
WA’s minister for emergency services, Paul Papalia, said severe tropical cyclone Narelle was currently located south-west of Exmouth.
The cyclone was heading in a south-easterly direction, parallel to the state’s coastline.
He said there were 86 people in emergency evacuation centres in Exmouth, Shark Bay and Carnarvon, on Thursday night, and those centres remained open.
Western Australia appoints fuel security coordinator
Western Australia’s minister for energy and decarbonisation, Amber-Jade Sanderson said a state fuel security coordinator had been appointed, and have agreed triage and priority process for fuel allocation.
She said key suppliers had released “significantly more fuel” into the market. Including BP, which was operating at 174% of its usual volumes, Ampol at 164%, and Viva who are operating above their monthly average.
WA premier issues transparency warning to fuel suppliers
WA premier Roger Cook said the state was facing two unrelated, but serious events.
The first, tropical cyclone Narelle, was near Exmouth, with winds of up to 260km/h.
double quotation mark It must be a very confronting situation for residents and personnel in that area.
The second, fuel security.
double quotation mark We need our fuel suppliers to be more transparent about their fuel supply chains. And when we ask them for information, we need them to provide it.
He said the government had powers to compel them to provide information, if they did not share it voluntarily.
Stephanie Convery
Thanks for your company this morning – I’m going to hand over to my colleague Petra Stock now who’ll bring you the latest updates over the next part of this afternoon.
Donna Lu
Tropical Cyclone Narelle – a severe storm that already has pummelled communities across far north Queensland and the Northern Territory – is expected to make landfall over Western Australia as a category three cyclone on Friday afternoon.
Narelle was set to be the first system to make landfall as a tropical cyclone in three of Australia’s states and territories in more than 20 years – after Cyclone Ingrid in 2005 and Steve in 2000.
In an update just before 7am AWST (10am AEDT) on Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology said the system was 40km west south-west of the town of Exmouth, and had “started to weaken but is expected to remain a category four system for a few more hours”.
Read the latest full update here:
More snow! This time, falling at Perisher ski resort in New South Wales.
First snow-paws ever in Melbourne
Also snow-related – sort of – Melbourne Zoo’s two-month-old snow leopard cubs have ventured out into their habitat for the first time.
The four cubs, Maya, Kira, Lumi and Sabu, were born in January to 9-year-old mother Miska and 10-year-old father Kang Ju. They’re the only snow-leopard cubs in Australia.
Snow leopards’ native home is in the mountainous regions of Asia, including parts of Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. They are classified as vulnerable, or at high risk of extinction, due to poachers, habitat loss and climate crisis.
First snowfall for the year at Thredbo
Snow has fallen for the first time this year at Thredbo, blanketing the NSW ski resort in white a week ahead of the Easter holidays.
Ski season won’t open for a few months yet, though – it’s scheduled to start in June – but there is a Kids Easter Adventure Festival running in the Snowy Mountains from 3 to 19 April. It remains to be seen if snow will still be on the ground by the time that starts.
One in seven service stations in NSW out of at least one fuel type
Penry Buckley
One in seven service stations in NSW are out of a least one fuel type amid shortages following the conflict in the Middle East, according to data shared by the state government.
In an update provided this morning, the energy department said that 347 of the 2,414 service stations registered in the FuelCheck compliance platform – or just over one in seven – are temporarily out of stock of one fuel type. Fifty-nine stations are out of any type of fuel, and 207 stations are out of diesel, premium diesel, or both.
This is an increase on the numbers provided yesterday, when 314 stations were without at least one fuel, 178 stations were out of stock of at least one type of diesel, and 48 stations were out of all fuel types.
On Monday, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, did not say the overall number of service stations affected by a shortage of some kind, but said 105 fuel stations were without diesel, while 35 did not have any fuel at all.
The NSW government has used an emergency power to issue information notices to the major fuel companies to “determine if the supply of liquid fuel to NSW is, or is likely to be, significantly disrupted”. The penalty for non-compliance is a $220,000 fine.
Kyle Sandiland’s press conference hijacked by anti-vaccination activists
Amanda Meade
Kyle Sandilands’ press conference outside the federal court was hijacked by anti-vaccination activists who drowned out his conversations with reporters and jostled with camera operators.
Sandilands attempted to control the volatile situation by telling the half a dozen protesters he would speak to them after he’d answered questions from the press pack:
double quotation mark I’m going to come to you.
After speaking about his case against ARN Media to be paid out the remainder of his $100m contract, for several minutes he turned to the protesters and said he sympathised with their views:
double quotation mark I’m with you guys we shouldn’t be forced to do anything we don’t want to do.
In 2021, Sandilands released a “Get Vaxxed Baby” jingle aimed at encouraging younger people to get vaccinated.
