<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fuel rationing has been signalled as the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/aussies-may-have-to-ration-fuel-expert-says/8d8909f2-ac8d-4045-8181-4fb0b93cbcd2" rel="" target="_blank" title="potential final phase"><span>potential final phase</span></a><span> of the federal government's national fuel security plan if the conflict in Iran interrupts supply any further.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia has </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/aussies-may-have-to-ration-fuel-expert-says/8d8909f2-ac8d-4045-8181-4fb0b93cbcd2" rel="" target="_blank" title="faced fuel rationing in the past:"><span>faced fuel rationing in the past:</span></a><span> During World War II and briefly in 1979 after the Iranian-revolution triggered a global oil crisis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But what does it actually look like?</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/national/pokies-loss-sounds-neil-walshe-fight-to-change-law-to-help-gambling-addicts/3337fa94-a633-47a2-a638-abbe1a3be3ce" rel="" target="" title="Neil wants pokies machines to play 'losing sounds'. Here's why"><strong><span>Neil wants pokies machines to play 'losing sounds'. Here's why</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/redundancies-australia-jacques-bergh-dealing-with-redundancy-exclusive/9a8c37d8-7d97-4369-8c35-50aafbbaab3f" target="_blank" title="'Demoralising': Jacques faced over 100 job rejections after redundancy"><strong><span>'Demoralising': Jacques faced over 100 job rejections after redundancy</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The petrol shortage in 1979 was exacerbated by a strike at the Caltex Kurnell oil refinery in Sydney.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It resulted in a deluge of panic-buying, not unlike the scenes that unfolded across Australia after the Strait of Hormuz was blocked in early March.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/fuel-rationing-australia-what-it-actually-looks-life-from-someone-who-lived-through-it/21bf167f-3115-4e4b-9927-f13486208a35" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Limited fuel rationing was quickly introduced by the Fraser government.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The most severe impacts were felt in NSW, however odd-even number plate rationing was introduced around the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It means cars with license plates ending in odd numbers could only fill up on odd -numbered calendar dates, and vice versa.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Purchase limits were also enforced at many independent fuel stations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Daryl George, who lived in the small Victorian town of Nathalia, was aged 10 at the time and told Nine.com.au he remembers the 1979 fuel shortage like it was yesterday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"At the time, we my mum and dad) drove a 1963 Chevy Impala V8, I do remember the odds and even system, to know what day you would be able to access fuel," he recalled.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As a 10-year-old, I was the designated fuel filler. $20 would fill the tank."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>George said his family kept a healthy stock of fuel on the farm and was largely insulated from the shortage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"My father had 44-gallon fuel drums at our town home so we were well protected from the crisis to a extent... but those who couldn't store fuel did have to comply to the odds and even restrictions," he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A lot of families traded their large cars for [ones that were] smaller and more economical on fuel.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Unfortunately public transport in that time in the country was not available, but car pooling to school did happen."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The emergency rationing lasted only several weeks before the industrial action ended and supply slowly returned to normal rates.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Do you have a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter April Glover at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:april.glover@nine.com.au" target="" title="april.glover@nine.com.au"><em><strong><span>april.glover@nine.com.au</span></strong></em></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Fuel rationing in Jordan</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More recently in the 1990s, countries in the Middle East suffered through an conflict-based oil crisis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Melbourne academic Hussein Dia grew up in Jordan and lived through stringent fuel rationing and government mandates.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent UN sanctions on Iraqi trade triggered a crippling oil shortage in Jordan, which relies almost entirely on imported crude oil.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dia said it was easy for the government to swiftly impose a rationing system on residents and that everyone who owned a car had to comply.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We were essentially forced to car pool," Dia, a Professor of Transport Technology and Sustainability at Swinburne University, told </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/" rel="" target="_blank" title="Nine.com.au."><span>Nine.com.au.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We used to go around and pick each other up while going to work.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was restrictive."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dia said the Jordanian government "acted quickly" to cushion the abrupt oil embargo, with mandates aimed to drop fuel consumption in the country by 20 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rationing was enforced through an odd-even number plate method, where only certain cars could fill up on each day.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government work week was dropped from six days to five.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Stores, businesses, restaurants and commercial establishments had mandatory closing times and government vehicles were not allowed on the roads except during working hours.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was easy to enforce, actually, because there were police on the side of the road," Dia recalled.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They would see that today is 16th, and only even numbered license plates are allowed, and if someone is doing the wrong thing, they used to stop the car, take the keys.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was difficult but manageable."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dia said his collegues, friends and family carpooled for three months while the restrictions were in place.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The rationing was gradually phased out in early 1991 as the energy crisis eased.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz stoked fears that similar measures may be enforced in Australia as the price of fuel skyrocketed and shortages gripped communities around the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rationing has been flagged as a last resort – described as phase four of the federal government's plan.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dia said that Australia is "not there yet".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think the government is doing everything to prevent us from getting to that stage," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But it is on the agenda, it is the final step. It's a very realistic possibility.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's not gonna be easy for them to trigger that final step, but it is something on the agenda, absolutely."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/shift-workers-healthcare-australia-study-jarrod-wolhuter-exclusive/d4c2abba-0153-47d5-bf59-94a850d57819" target="_blank" title="Brutal reality of night shift workers like Monique and Jarrod"><strong><span>Brutal reality of night shift workers like Monique and Jarrod</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Shipments of oil are now on the way to Australia after the government moved to shore up supply flowing into the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Energy Minister Chris Bowen last week said he was satisfied with the current stocks and that "we are a long way" from fuel rationing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm pleased with the supply into Australia at this point," Bowen said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Work continues on prudent contingency of planning.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Should the international situation get worse, [the fuel security plan] makes clear prioritisation for emergency services."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia is now at stage two of the fuel plan, which included new powers to </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/anthony-albanese-announces-new-plan-to-tackle-fuel-crisis-calls-out-fuel-hoarders/e357bea2-b7df-4aa1-b62d-4ad62fb4ecb6" rel="" target="_blank" title="underwrite fuel shipments"><span>underwrite fuel shipments</span></a><span> to increase supply and a government campaign encouraging Australians to take public transport.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Stage three would involve voluntary fuel measures such as car pooling.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>