<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/western-australia" rel="" target="" title="WA Premier"><span>WA Premier</span></a><span> Roger Cook has enacted emergency fuel powers even as the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/anthony-albanese-address-to-the-nation-what-to-expect-how-to-watch-everything-to-know/ef0c15f6-2cdd-48a3-b4fb-63ce1b8c05c4" rel="" target="" title="prime minister calls for a calm response"><span>prime minister calls for a calm response</span></a><span> from </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australians"><span>Australians</span></a><span> to the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/fuel" rel="" target="" title="fuel crisis"><span>fuel crisis</span></a><span> sparked by the war in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/middle-east" rel="" target="" title="Middle East"><span>Middle East</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson visited the governor today in a bid to shore up the flow of fuel across the state, giving the government specific new powers over fuel suppliers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The powers could only be unlocked by declaring a state of emergency under the relevant act, </span><em><span>WA Today</span></em><span> reported, but Cook today played down that terminology.</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><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/anthony-albanese-address-to-the-nation-what-to-expect-how-to-watch-everything-to-know/ef0c15f6-2cdd-48a3-b4fb-63ce1b8c05c4"><strong><span>PM warns 'economic shocks' to be 'with us for months' in rare address</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Let me be very clear, we are not declaring a state of emergency. We are utilising the emergency powers under the </span><em><span>Fuel, Energy and Power Resources Act</span></em><span>," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is not what people experienced under COVID. It's a completely different act of Parliament. It's very specific powers which we need in order to create some transparency around fuel supply chains."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The emergency powers will be able to force "sensitive information" out of suppliers in relation to stock and distribution.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/fuel-crisis-western-australia-premier-roger-cook-declares-state-of-emergency-powers/83f80161-badf-40b4-8753-fc2994cf3426" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In some cases, we don't know where fuel is, or where it's going," Cook said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They can't compel the suppliers to re-direct fuel themselves but can prioritise where excess stock goes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We can see where there's excess, where there is stock, and we can direct it where it's needed and we're doing that by working closely with the companies," Sanderson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>From midnight on Thursday (3am AEDT), suppliers will have 48 hours to hand over the information, or be fined.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The maximum is $100,000 per day for corporations and $10,000 per day for individuals," Sanderson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It follows a letter from the premier to six suppliers last week, asking them to share information but only half of them were willing to comply.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We haven't got the full information that we need - and we won't apologise for taking this action," Sanderson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The calls from the state government are for transparency, not panic.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We don't expect any impact in relation to consumers or the members of the public at large," Cook said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These are very specific powers applying to that very specific cohort of six companies."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The changes came as fuel relief began to kick in on Wednesday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Drivers raced to fill up after the federal government slashed the fuel excise in half, removing 26 cents a litre, with long lines of drivers queuing at the bowsers to make the most of it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was the first time diesel prices dropped since the start of the crisis sparked by Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in reaction to attacks by the US and Israel.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Service stations slashed prices by almost 10 cents per litre while unleaded petrol was down 7 cents per litre.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The average price for unleaded is set to plunge further, dropping another 13 cents per litre tomorrow. The cost of diesel set to lower by 10 cents per litre.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police say they've increased patrols at the pump amid continued caution about thefts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We work closely with the fuel stations to make sure they report [theft] and we respond," WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said.</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>