The NRMA is begging you to stop hoarding or panic-buying petrol.
The warning comes as petrol prices surge in Australia’s biggest cities and reports emerge of service stations running low on supply due to a sudden spike in demand.
NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said Australians were buying fuel “at a far greater rate than they normally would”, creating shortages that had nothing to do with global supply.
“This is not COVID and we’re not selling toilet paper,” Mr Khoury said.
“What we are now seeing is some service stations running low on supply, and that is because Australians are buying fuel at a far greater rate than they normally would.”
The NRMA has also received reports of motorists attempting to stockpile petrol at home — something the organisation warns is both pointless and dangerous.
“We are also hearing troubling reports of people trying to stockpile fuel at home, which apart from not making any economic sense, is also extremely dangerous,” Mr Khoury said.
“Please do not fill jerry cans and put them in your garage because that is unsafe.”
According to the My NRMA app, which tracks real-time prices across Australia, half of Melbourne service stations were charging 219.9 cents per litre on Wednesday.
In Sydney, the same proportion of stations were selling regular unleaded between 217.9 and 223.9 cents per litre.
Average prices have also blown past the levels typically expected at the peak of city fuel price cycles, with Sydney averaging 209.5 cents, Melbourne 207.7 cents and Brisbane 210.2 cents per litre.
By comparison, Adelaide and Perth remain significantly cheaper at 185.0 and 189.1 cents per litre respectively.
Mr Khoury said the price spikes in Australia’s three largest cities were “completely unjustifiable” and accused oil companies of exploiting tensions in the Middle East.
“Yet again, the price cycles in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne have left families in those cities worse off and oil companies are using the Middle East crisis as an excuse to jack up margins,” he said.
“This must stop immediately.”
“With prices in Australia’s three largest cities already at the top of the regular cycle, half of the stations in our three biggest cities are effectively inflating that margin to take advantage of the community.”
The NRMA has urged the ACCC to investigate the price increases.
The surge in pump prices followed global oil markets reacting to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for the world’s oil supply.
Brent crude briefly surged to around $US100 a barrel, but has since eased back to about $US91, suggesting some of the panic at the bowser may be premature.
Mr Khoury said the rush to fill up had likely been triggered by the initial price spike itself, creating a self-inflicted shortage.
“That caused panic buying,” he said.
“People saw the price increases in the three largest cities and our fear is it led to people panicking and going out and buying a lot more fuel than they normally would.”
“We now have reports of service stations running low or running out, and that is a domestic problem that we’ve created for ourselves.”
Instead of rushing to fill tanks, motorists were urged to shop around and use price comparison tools.
“Almost a quarter of service stations in Melbourne are below 189.9 cents per litre and in Sydney it’s 12 per cent of service stations – they are doing the right thing,” Mr Khoury said.
“So if you need to fill up, please fill up there.”
“Using the My NRMA app anywhere in Australia ensures you are aware of the best price right now near your place or the cheapest options on the way to where you’re going.”
