Update from the WA Fuel Security Roundtable

As a leading voice across the automotive sector, the Motor Trade Association WA was invited to attend the Fuel Security Roundtable yesterday. Ahead of the meeting, several members were canvassed to discuss any concerns or issues they would like addressed on their behalf.

At the Fuel Security Roundtable, Roger Cook, brought together representatives from the fuel industry and key sectors that rely on a stable supply of fuel. The purpose was to work closely with industry to ensure the needs of Western Australian businesses are being met as part of any broader response regarding our supply chains. The MTA WA was invited to attend on behalf of our members, ensuring they were represented in these discussions.

It was a positive meeting, with just over 40 leaders involved. We were reassured that there have been no direct impacts to fuel supply – fuel continues to arrive in Australia in the quantities and frequency we would expect. However, increased demand is leading to temporary disruptions at some retailers, which in turn is creating understandable anxiety for Western Australian families and for businesses.

During the meeting the following outcomes were agreed to:

• Prioritising fuel and fertiliser imports through our ports.
• Fuel providers committing to timelier restocking in regional Western Australia to ensure supply is maintained.
• Exploring the use of higher-efficiency vehicles and road trains to support fuel delivery to the regions.
• Fuel retailers taking immediate measures to address extreme stockpiling.
• The WA government establishing an Industry Operational Group, which will meet weekly to manage domestic supply chain issues as they arise.

There has been significant news coverage this week regarding fuel security, and we have participated in multiple interviews to discuss how global events are affecting the automotive industry.

We are proud to use our voice to represent our members and to actively contribute to the broader conversation. Here is a snippet of the media from the last week.

As we continue to engage closely with the Government and media, the MTA WA will ensure our members insights and concerns are represented. We will continue to monitor developments and keep our members informed as new information becomes available.