Federal Government Recognizes Fuel Security Imperative
Perhaps the most important reason for QER to develop a Queensland kerogen fuels industry – starting here in Gladstone – is to help improve Australia’s fuel security situation.
These days Australia is heavily dependent on oil and fuel imports to meet most of our freight, transport, agriculture, mining, defense and aviation needs. We keep only about a months’ inventory to meet our
requirements in the event of any kind of supply disruption.
I was encouraged recently to see the Federal Government starting to acknowledge the issue, and the Prime Minister announcing a review into Australia’s liquid fuel security situation, to be completed later this year.
A number of people within the Government understand the issue very well. Retired army Major General, and now Senator, Jim Molan, has recently led the calls for the issue to be addressed. Senator Molan described the fuel situation as “…a single point of failure for Australia”.
Our local Federal Member Ken O’Dowd recently organised for QER to meet with Senator Molan in Canberra and brief him about the potential for a kerogen fuels industry to help reduce Australia’s long term dependence on imported fuels. We made the case to the Senator that fuel security is not just about keeping an inventory of imported fuels, but also about developing the abundant fuel resources right under our feet.
Senator Molan was very supportive and is a passionate advocate on the subject of fuel security.
We’re grateful to Ken for taking an interest in the issue and for taking the time to make representations on behalf of QER, as a potentially important future Gladstone industry.