Critics have slammed government\u2019s ads urging drivers to remove roof racks and use public transport to save petrol<\/p>\n
A multimillion-dollar Australian government advertising campaign urging motorists to inflate tyres and remove roof racks to reduce fuel consumption has drawn political backlash, with critics describing it as \u201cridiculous.\u201d
\nTitled \u2018Every Little Bit Helps\u2019, the campaign cost AU$20 million (US$14 million) and rolled out on Monday across television, radio, online platforms, billboards, and posters. The ads promote steps such as \u201cdriving smoothly\u201d and \u201cunloading excess weight,\u201d while urging motorists to cut car use by walking or cycling where possible and maintaining tire pressure, as Australia faces fuel supply crunch linked to Middle East tensions. Australia imports about 90% of its fuel, relying heavily on Asian supply chains tied to crude oil from the region.
\nThe crisis began with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for roughly 20% of global oil, amid the US-Israel war on Iran that started in late February. Iran\u2019s blockade has severely disrupted crude supplies to Asian refineries in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and China \u2013 sources for over 80% of Australia\u2019s fuel. In late March, six fuel tankers scheduled for Australia were canceled, prompting the government to declare a national fuel crisis due to its long and vulnerable supply chain.
\nNat Barr, host of Sunrise, a popular national morning show, on Monday clashed with Employment Minister Tanya Plibersek over the campaign\u2019s cost, pressing her on whether she believed the ads were a good investment.<\/p>\n
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\u201dNow you\u2019re going to spend $20 million telling us to pump up our tires,\u201d Barr said, adding the government could have delivered the message through ministers\u2019 regular appearances without a multimillion-dollar campaign.
\nPlibersek defended the initiative, saying it was needed to counter misinformation about Australia\u2019s fuel security. \u201cIt\u2019s a pretty small investment to give people believable, credible, detailed information about our national fuel security plan,\u201d she said, comparing it to $340 million spent by a previous government on industrial relations ads.
\nDeputy Liberal Leader Jane Hume said the money could have filled around 100,000 cars with petrol instead.
\nThe initiative stems from Australia\u2019s National Fuel Security Plan, endorsed by National Cabinet in late March to manage supply pressures. The four-stage plan includes public awareness measures at its current Level 2 phase, described as \u2018Keep Australia moving\u2019.
\nOne Nation MP Barnaby Joyce, a former deputy prime minister, mocked the campaign as \u201cridiculous.\u201d
\nPrime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected claims the ads were wasteful, saying they would prevent panic buying and maintain confidence. The government says Australia has secured fuel supply until late May.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Critics have slammed government\u2019s ads urging drivers to remove roof racks and use public transport to save petrol A multimillion-dollar Australian government advertising campaign urging motorists to inflate tyres and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33085,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t