<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prime Minister </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/anthony-albanese" rel="" target="_blank" title="Anthony Albanese"><span>Anthony Albanese</span></a><span> has called on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="_blank" title="Australians"><span>Australians</span></a><span> to stop hoarding petrol, insisting the country's fuel supply is at a healthy level.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Speaking after a meeting of the National Cabinet to coordinate Australia's response to the rising price of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/oil" rel="" target="_blank" title="oil"><span>oil</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/petrol-prices" rel="" target="_blank" title="petrol"><span>petrol</span></a><span> caused by the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/israel-iran-conflict" rel="" target="_blank" title="Middle East conflict"><span>Middle East conflict</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Prime Minister was adamant the country does not have an issue with the amount of fuel available, and said Australians who were panic-buying petrol were causing more problems than solutions.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-update-australia-and-dozens-of-others-condemn-iran-over-attacks-on-neighbours-critical-shipping-closure/5440f1eb-2a2a-431c-bb18-55e90e1dea19" target="_blank"><strong><span>Australia and dozens of others condemn Iran over attacks on neighbours, critical shipping closure</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"My message to Australians is do not take more fuel than you need, that is how you can help," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That is the Australian way, to think of others, to think of their neighbours, to think of their community, but to think of the national interest."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This is despite some regional communities running out of petrol, and with figures of the government hinting that fuel rationing may be required should the global oil shock continue.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/fuel-crisis-australia-anthony-albanese-urges-not-to-hoard-petrol-new-task-force-announced/49e2594f-6dfa-4e92-a5b9-325066d8b085" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, Albanese batted away these concerns, insisting while distribution was a temporary issue, supply was not.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is no less fuel in Australia today than there was three weeks ago," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-19-donald-trump-officials-should-must-make-his-decisions-as-successful-as-possible-jd-vance-says-irans-new-supreme-leader-issues-a-rare-statement/db9709f9-041a-4e5d-a484-cec456ce469d" target="_blank"><strong><span>Iran pledges to hit back over gas field attack</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every single ship that was due to land here has landed here."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He also said Australia's consumer watchdog, the ACCC, had the full support of the government to crack down on any petrol suppliers attempting to rip off customers at the pump.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are cracking down on companies engaging in price gouging," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>To help fuel get to all communities in Australia, Albanese announced the creation of a fuel supplier task force, which would work closely with the federal government, as well as all of the states and territories.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The inaugural coordinator will be Anthea Harris, who was previously the CEO of the Australian Energy Regulator.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/petrol-news-australian-competition-and-consumer-commission-to-investigation-allegations-of-anticompetitive-conduct-by-regional-fuel-retailers/4eb3ac2d-fa27-40bd-9cce-705ccb4a0f44" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>ACCC to investigation allegations of anti-competitive conduct by regional fuel retailers</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese said the task force would "support coordination across governments and sectors".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There will be an agreement between every state and territory [to] appoint someone to work with Ms Harris to make sure that we maximise the coordinated effort during this time," he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese called on the states and territories to hold up their end of the bargain to ensure fuel distribution meets the needs of all parts of Australia, especially to support embattled rural communities.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is the states and territories that are responsible for distribution within their jurisdictions," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese confirmed the task force had already commenced its work, saying the decision to establish it had been made "two days ago."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us 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