The ABC says:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-04/petrol-prices-surge-across-australia-serv...

In short:

People are being urged not to panic buy petrol, as prices surge amid the Middle East war.

Long queues of cars are lining streets around petrol stations across the country, with warnings the price per litre could rise by 40c in coming weeks.

What's next?
Authorities say there is a steady supply of fuel in Australia, with fuel companies accused of taking advantage of people's anxieties by hiking prices.



Petrol retailers across the nation are being accused of "unconscionable" behaviour by preying on people's anxieties as fuel prices surge in the midst of the Middle East war.

Economists are warning Australian petrol prices could rise by 40 cents a litre in coming weeks as the conflict in the Middle East escalates, disrupting the flow of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

In Perth, thousands of motorists across the city lined up along streets to get fuel last night, the cheapest day in the city's weekly fuel price cycle.

Many fuel stations across the city are selling fuel well above $2 per litre today, higher than than the daily average of 188.7 and the February average of 164.5c.

freediver wrote on Mar 4^th, 2026 at 5:15pm:



You need Jerry cans and a safe place to store it.

freediver wrote on Mar 4^th, 2026 at 5:19pm:



That's true - petrol goes stale in about 2 months as
the lighter hydrocarbons boil off.

Bobby. wrote on Mar 4^th, 2026 at 5:25pm:



It depends on the seal.

Horses and rickshaws will come back.

I hope it reaches $20❗
It will be like COVID Lockdown with no-one on the roads.

Coal is a bigger contributor to GHG emissions, and has a higher emission per unit of energy produced. With the transition to EV's the gap is going to widen.

Having a diesel vehicle and storing diesel long term better than petrol.
LP gas is still reasonably priced.

Now, I was remembering back in the later 70s….

It was Iran! Trouble with Iran!

And…back in the 70s petrol prices went up…… cars with V8 engines plummeted and everyone was panicking and scurrying to rid their V8’s to buy 4 cyl or get cars converted to gas.

Well here we go (Iran again!!!) except…. Now it’s a ploy to raise fuel so everyone will scurry to rid their petrol cars (yes even 4 cylinders) to get….tah dah…. Electric cars!!!!

I’m not gonna panic! Imma staying put!

From the 70s lesson I learnt…. to do multiple errands with one car trip to save on fuel…. Unlike some I know that go out every day for some feeble excuse.
Do people hate staying home a day, or two, or three?

Vlad doesn't look happy

Here today Unleaded 91 is $1.70 to $2.00
Diesel is $1.74 to $2.10.

Brisbane unleaded 91 is $1.96 to $2.20
Brisbane Diesel is $1.90 to $2.20

Brisbane is  the major port for QLD & has the Lytton Refinery producing 60% of QLDs fuel.

Why is fuel cheaper here - 3 1/2 hrs nrth of Brisbane?

We are being savved every which way but loose.

There is not a reason in hell why already purchased fuel supplies at the time the first strikes on Iran should have been reflected the next day at bowsers in Australia. Just out & out profiteering.

Gnads wrote on Mar 5^th, 2026 at 12:38pm:


Because like here 3 hours south of Perth, it is too far for the city folks to drive.

Jasin wrote on Mar 5^th, 2026 at 4:25pm:


You won't say where, we understand.

So which website are you checking our prices on?

Bobby. wrote on Mar 4^th, 2026 at 5:03pm:


Hang on, weren't you just posting praise for your DL for bringing the price of gas down to $1.99 a gallon?

That was less than two weeks ago.

What say you now?

7-Eleven defends 58c petrol price hike   
7-Eleven has defended its 58c-per-litre hike in petrol, claiming the rise is in line with “broader industry trends” as the consumer watchdog issues a new warning.

News.com.au
March 6, 2026

Petrol retailers are crisis profiteering and unjustifiably hiking prices at least five to 10 cents a litre across the country, the NRMA claims.

As the conflict in Iran lifts global wholesale fuel prices about 10c per litre, the national motorists’ group says service stations have hiked prices well above the wholesale increase, and before increases have even flowed through to the Australian fuel market.   

NewsWire has recorded a 58c-per-litre hike from Monday to Thursday at 7-Eleven service stations in Sydney’s Surry Hills.

“While global crude oil prices may impact fuel prices across the industry, our priority is to maintain continuity of service for customers,” a 7-Eleven spokesperson said.

“We continue to offer Mobil quality fuels across our network, and customers can rely on the Fuel Price Lock feature within the My 7-Eleven app to help manage price movements.”

7-Eleven sold Mobil Supreme+ 98 for 181.9c a litre under the “fuel lock” scheme in and around Surry Hills on Monday, before the price jumped to 239.9c a litre by Thursday.

“Like all retailers, we monitor market conditions closely and will adjust in line with broader industry trends,” the 7-Eleven spokesperson said.

“We won’t be commenting on geopolitical matters, but we remain focused on providing a reliable and consistent offer for our customers every day.”

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said on Friday fuel retailers were already maximising their margins before the US and Israel began bombing Iran on Saturday.


“What we’ve seen in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane in particular, we were already at the top of the cycle. They were already charging the peak amount at $2.13 when the wholesale price was $1.53,” he told Sunrise.

“The wholesale price has gone up 10 cents a litre. They’ve put their prices up even further, and they’re refusing to come down. They’re using a crisis to make money, and it’s got to stop.”

Concerns about impending hikes in petrol prices have already prompted a flurry of buying across Australia.

Global oil prices – inflated by the military conflict – typically took seven to 10 days to flush through to Australian petrol prices, Mr Khoury said.

“What we’ve seen is those prices go up when they shouldn’t have, and they went up too quickly,” he said.

“The public are reporting them, and so there is more that they can do. They’ll drop their prices if you put a bit of pressure on them.”

The consumer watchdog issued a warning to fuel retailers on Friday.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says it “will not hesitate to take action” against price gouging.

“The international price of refined petrol is a key driver of Australian retail petrol prices,” ACCC commissioner Anna Brakey said.

“While these international costs are largely outside the control of local petrol retailers, we remind retailers that making false or misleading statements to consumers about the reasons of price increases would be in breach of the Australian Consumer Law.”

The consumer watchdog had written to the fuel retailers telling them not to falsely blame the conflict for price increases, Ms Brakey said.

“The ACCC will not hesitate to take action if representations and market behaviour by a petrol company contravene competition and consumer laws,” she said.

“We have written to major fuel companies to set out our expectations about domestic fuel pricing as these international events unfold.

“At this time, as at any time, we encourage motorists to use fuel price apps and websites to shop around to find the lowest prices.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the consumer watchdog has the powers to investigate petrol price changes.

On Thursday, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers said motorists should not be taken for mugs by the fuel companies, as RACQ reports “unwarranted” hikes at the bowser to the consumer watchdog.   

As the war in Iraq now involves 16 countries

whiteknight wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 3:31am:




Newsflash for you, Jim - motorists have been taken for mugs by fuel companies for as long as I can remember.

Every time the price of oil went up, the price of petrol at the bowser went up almost immediately but if the price of oil dropped it would take them up to a week or more to reduce the price of petrol (if they even bothered to reduce it at all).

Motorists have also been taken for mugs by the government who, despite their fake concern, are more than happy to see fuel prices go up and up because of the extra fuel tax they get (which is worked out as a percentage of each litre sold - currently about 50%, so I believe).

I don't know about everywhere else but here in WA the fuel companies cannot change the price for 24 hours. So, once they "decide" on the price for each day it has to stay the same from 'midnight to midnight'.

Before then, the price used to change several times a day (probably depending on how busy they were) and it used to go up by about 15 to 20 cents a litre every Friday lunchtime like clockwork so the fuel companies could rip off motorists filling up on Friday afternoons/evenings for the weekend.

Mugs indeed. As I said a few days ago - I'm glad I don't have a car anymore.

Frank wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 8:38am:


Because a centralised system makes it more vulnerable to attack.

Because we want to be rich, not self sufficient. Go weave your own baskets if that's what you want.

Quote:


It is the same thought process, applied to a nation rather than a person, usually associated with stoned hippies who have come to realise they don't like backbreaking work just to feed themselves, but think it will all work out if everyone in the country does it.

In today's The West Australian, former consumer regulator Allan Fels says that if the war goes on for longer than 6 weeks (as I'm sure it will) then the government will have to do something - like price controls and petrol rationing.

I'll be stocking up on popcorn for if/when that happens.

I'm already having flashbacks to the Great Toilet Paper War of 2020 when stupid, selfish people bought as much as they could (even though they didn't need to) while at the same time thinking "stuff everyone else".

Things like rationing worked quite well during World War 2 for example when people cared about others much more than they do now.

But, today (with the abovementioned stupid, selfish people making up the majority of the population) - no chance.

freediver wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 11:09am:


Allan Fels says it would be to stop people panic buying and stocking up on petrol like they're doing right now and will only get worse the longer the war drags on.

But, no need to worry. I'm fairly certain our spineless politicians (especially Albanese) wouldn't have the intestinal fortitude to try anything like price controls and rationing of petrol.

freediver wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 9:42am:

Dribbling.

You could say the same about food. If you go back far enough, over 90% of the economy was geared towards producing food. But now it is about 1%. Energy is following the same trend. It's now somewhere between 1% and 4% of the economy.

People have created the wealth.

And Australia is a net oil exporter. If there ever is an oil crunch, we will benefit. It is not the refineries that will be in short supply.

This is really nothing more than people searching for something to pointlessly fret about. All the economies we fear overpowering us are the ones exporting cars and ipads.

freediver wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 11:09am:



So that workers have enough petrol to get to work and back?   

hear hear sir Aqua,

hydrocarbons are a miracle.

Bobby. wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 5:29am:


Hang on, weren't you just posting praise for your DL for bringing the price of gas down to $1.99 a gallon?

That was less than two weeks ago.

What say you now?

Melanias purse wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 6:28pm:



Our DL said not to worry.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trump-rising-gas-prices-during-iran-oper...


WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was not concerned about rising U.S. gas prices driven by the widening Iran conflict, telling Reuters ​in an exclusive interview that the U.S. military operation was his priority.

"I don't have any concern about it," he said, when asked about the higher prices at ‌the pump.
"They'll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise,
but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit."

Quote:


Just so.

Frank wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 9:07am:


Why? Because you, Rupert and the Libs have been bleating away about how awful renewable energy is for the past thirty years, dear. That's why.

What grotesque madness made you krap away about nuclear energy and nationalised coal-fired power stations while our energy infrastructure was rusting away and passing its use-by date?

Why, after 30 years of Tory obstructionism, have Australians been quietly putting solar panels on their rooftops, the biggest rooftop solar uptake in the world? Why, in the city all those Libs conspired in, have we been able to install a solar farm powerful enough to run our nation's capital, generating enough solar energy for half a million people?

I'll tell you why, dear boy. Because most of us, despite your distraction, hissy fits and culture wars, have begun the transition without you. And do you know? We twigged we can't do it with the Libs in power, so we all made a collective decision at the last election to throw them out for good.

It's not your country, old boy. You couldn't give a pickled herring. But the rest of us are more than happy to put in the effort without you.

And you?

You'll always be free - free to go straight right back to where you came from.

Freeeeeedom, innit.

Frank wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 6:31pm:


You know that net zero by 2050, or some later decade, is not the same thing as abandoning fossil fuels now. It is not even the same thing as abandoning fossil fuels. Or tractors. Does every discussion you have about climate change descend into people patiently trying to explain to you how your idiotic fantasies differ from reality? Or do you think you could figure that out for yourself?

lee wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 8:05pm:


Lee, no one other than Frank was suggesting we abandon fossil fuels now. The whole point was that it was just an idiotic fantasy on his part.

lee wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 8:21pm:


Why? Do you share Frank's fantasy?

Why is it that climate "sceptics" always end up being the most gullible?

freediver wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 8:27pm:


You haven't even read his last post, you poor old thing.

Lee says you can't make solar panels and wind turbines without using - ahem - coal.

So that's that. Better pack it in, leftards.

Lee said.

Frank wrote on Mar 4^th, 2026 at 5:33pm:



Good thing there was no shortage of pomegranates in your day, grandpa.

freediver wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 8:27pm:




Ah yes.
Believe tim flannery.
It will never rain again.
Meanwhile central Australia records it's wettest decade ever
And all that plant growth soaks up the CO 2.


I think we  know who the gullible are.

Tell us about South Australia 1 hr battery
Tell us about pumped hydro 

aquascoot wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 7:47am:


Why did you suggest I "check on" Bowen? Just dribbling onto your keyboard?

lee wrote on Mar 5^th, 2026 at 4:06pm:


So the fuel companies are being benevolent to those of us in the regions?

Yeah nah ..... 

Bobby. wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 5:29am:


98 has not been been lower than $1.98 for months.

91 is above $2.00 to $2.20 in Brisbane today.

E10 is even $2.16 at BP Ipswich Road Moorooka.

It's outright profiteering.

Bobby. wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 9:52am:



BS - there are oil & gas operations in SW QLD & NE Sth Aust.

It's in the Eromanga & Cooper Basins.

Ever heard of Moomba?

Not your silly Melbourne festival.

It's been producing oil & gas since 1969 - 57 years.

Quote:

freediver wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 4:08pm:


No you can't - everything you enjoy in your life - including wealth - is down to fossil fuels.

Melanias purse wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 7:07pm:


Who has been subsidising the cheap solar systems & now with batteries being made available?

You - the taxpayer that's who.

My first 6kw system cost around $25,000 in 20 10/11 - do you think I have made my money back?

The system was barely 5 years old & it became less efficient & by the time it was replaced after a hail storm in 2022(11 years old) I was receiving electricity bills around $300 a quarter for at least 2 years when I shouldn't have been paying any.

The replacement 6 kw system now installed sees me in credit an extra $200  every quarter.

After recently claiming $2,000 from my credits, leaving $700 in the account I am now back in credit $1,524.

It still hasn't got that first system I paid $25,000 for anywhere near balanced back after 15 years.

Bobby. wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 9:40am:


Well what did you think was going to happen when the Govt gets 51.6 cents for every litre sold?

Govt excise should be no more than 10 cents.

Gnads wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 9:43am:



The fuel excise is supposed to go to building roads but
it's placed straight into consolidated revenue and
then we have to pay tolls for roads.

Gnads wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 8:33am:


You don't pay the average Brisbane price, any more than you pay the average state price. You pay the actual price at the servo where you fill up, and if the price bothers you, it is a very simple matter to fill up when you pass a cheap one. If you shop around, you would probably end up paying less in Brisbane.

Gnads wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 8:36am:


Diesel $1.79 where I normally shop, last Thursday. Of course cheaper rents, Fewer stations help.

Are petrol stations price gouging?.  Yes Treasurer Chalmers you are right to say, don't take Australian drivers for mugs.    

whiteknight wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 1:15pm:


But they are. They don't care if the price is 60c cheaper everywhere else. The solution is not to demand the government intervene, but to use your own brain. That's what it's there for.

Frank wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 10:14am:


Apology accepted, old boy.

freediver wrote on Mar 7^th, 2026 at 8:07pm:



I am not the one holding up signs of 'end coal NOW' or 'No Oil', not the one slashing art works or organising school strikes for climate.

Net zero is an empty slogan. Most of the climate panic kids do mean the complete end of fossik fuels. It is the climate catasotrophy fantasists who are totally confused and talking crap/cross purposes.

Energy TRANSITION. Does that mean fossil fuels at 60% of current use? 40%? 10%? Zero?  100% renewable - is that 50% gas?


The climate catasptrophy narrative is like a bloody Pat and Mike cross talk act after 3 pints. The People's Climate Liberation Front versus the Climate Liberation Front of the People versus the Climate Front People of the Liberation.

Pimply blue haired weasels overshouting each other.

freediver wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 5:34pm:



Nope, that is a function of the new, university educated. And they allow them the vote.

freediver wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 7:39pm:



I would see you as gaslighting climate sceptics.
There is plenty to be sceptical about.

Melanias purse wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 2:22pm:



More then happy to use solar during the day.

Now explain how I can store all that solar energy so I can use it at night , recharge my cars at night when I aren't using them

You can't.

Unless you want to mine the whole planet to make batteries.

Without a breakthrough in power storage,, we will be reliant on fossil fuels or nuclear to power the world after 6 pm,

freediver wrote on Mar 8^th, 2026 at 5:34pm:



Not a fantasy. On the news every other day.  Are you pushing the idiotic line that we must not take the Gretas, the Mohammeds, the Ayatollas and Abdel Fatahs at their word??


What is the korrekt translation of 'just end oil'? or 'death to Amerikkka'? or 'where's the Jews'?