Is fuel rationing on the cards as the Middle East war continues?

National Cabinet will hold another emergency meeting next week to address fuel shortages

currently plaguing Australia.

It comes as hundreds of petrol stations across the country report they've run out of supply

and are seeing an increase in motorists driving off without paying.

The government is lowering diesel standards and a bid to help supply flowing as businesses

from tourism to rubbish collection, mail deliveries and even lawn mowing all count the costs

of rising prices.

Trade Minister Don Farrell says the government's relying on strong relationships with Asian

trading partners to make sure supplier stays consistent as the conflict in the Middle

East rocks international supply chains.

We will be working with them to ensure that as best as we can, we deal with this problem

that's emanating from the Middle East right now.

State and territory leaders will meet to further coordinate the national response to

the fuel crisis.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minz has called for a nationally consistent approach to meeting

demand, potentially around rationing fuel.

We've got reasonably detailed, graduated plans if the circumstances worsen in the weeks

ahead and be honest with you, that's not the plan today, but you know, I want to be honest

with the people of New South Wales.

The situation today is that there is enough fuel on the island of Australia to keep the

economy going.

And elements of the COVID pandemic response are also being invoked as possible solutions

to supply chain issues.

The International Energy Agency has also suggested all nations introduce so-called voluntary

demand measures like working from home as well as encouraging public transport and lowering

speed limits to ease demand on fuel.

Meanwhile, the waste management and resource recovery association of Australia says the

crisis has the potential to impact bin collections.

Head of the Association Gaines Sloan says the industry needs to be prioritised for the

sake of public health.

At the moment it's having a definite cost impact.

We too are buying diesel at 30, 40% up, so that's actually going to impact contracts in

some cases already has.

But the next thing we're concerned about is making sure that we're prioritised because

people often forget that the waste services are out there just doing their thing.

The coalitions criticising the government's handling of the fuel situation and in particular

its impact in regional areas.

It's launched a community reporting platform online for users to map shortages in regional

Australia, however it asks users to also enter contact details which then passed on to

the Liberal National or LNP representatives.

The meeting of National Cabinet will take place on Monday with Federal Parliament also

set to resume in Canberra.