Australia's Emergency Response Plans

Australia has robust emergency response plans and arrangements

• Industry and governments fully recognise the potential impacts of a severe national shortage of fuel supplies to business and consumers.
• Australia has robust response plans for managing a national liquid fuel emergency, which reflect Australian market characteristics, utilise proven market and commercial response mechanisms, and adopt international approaches that will be effective in our operating environment.
• While every effort is made by industry to ensure continuing reliable supply, the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee (NOSEC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have established management plans that would help ensure a coordinated response to any supply emergency at a national (NOSEC) or international (IEA) level.
• NOSEC and the National Plan (NLFERP) are also well supported by flexible and wide ranging ministerial powers under the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act 1984 to authorise the Australian Government to prepare for, and manage, a national emergency.
• Extensive reviews in recent years have concluded that Australia’s emergency response framework for liquid fuels is robust and proven, and there are no obvious gaps currently. The framework should be periodically reviewed to ensure its ongoing alignment with market-based principles and operation.
• According to the IEA, Australia is well served by an industry which operates a resilient and diversified supply chain, supported by a regime of policy and regulatory emergency measures, regular in-depth vulnerability assessments, and international advocacy of open global markets.
• A National Liquid Fuels Emergency has never been declared by an Australian Government.