The Hon. Peter Malinauskas, Premier of South Australia; The Hon. Tom Koutsantonis, Minister for Energy and Mining, Joint Media Release, 3 May 2026

The Malinauskas Labor Government will introduce into Parliament this week new legislation to strengthen emergency powers should they be required in the event the fuel crisis worsens.

Petrol, diesel and jet fuel continues to arrive in South Australia, with prices significantly lower than earlier in the crisis.

However, the South Australian Government is taking every reasonable step to ensure the state can continue to function in the event of a protracted crisis prompted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Petroleum Products Regulation (Emergencies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2026 will provide greater capability for Government to declare a liquid fuel emergency and keep the declaration in place for an extended period, if required.

The current 30-year-old legislation does not align well with similar powers held by the Commonwealth and other states, and needs to be updated to ensure a co-ordinated approach in the event of worsening conditions.

Currently, rationing measures can only be imposed for 7 days at a time, with a resolution from both Houses of Parliament required to extend beyond a total of 28 days. The new legislation will empower the Governor to declare an initial period of rationing for a maximum of 90 days, with the power to extend the proclamation for a further 90 days and for as many subsequent periods as necessary.

This will substantially align South Australia’s legislative framework with the Commonwealth and other states supporting consistent declaration periods and providing greater confidence for cross border arrangements.

Enhanced protections will be provided to workers in the petroleum supply chain, such as service station console operators and tanker delivery drivers, who are assaulted, threatened or intimidated in the course of their work during an emergency. 

Imprisonment of up to three years can be applied by a Court in these cases.

The updated laws make it possible to issue on-the-spot fines to those who breach rationing laws and to allow fines to be sent to the owners of cars used in a breach of rationing.

It also allows for the seizure of fuel obtained in breach of rationing laws.

This new action complements decisive action already being taken by the Malinauskas Government, which took to the March election a commitment to strengthen existing policing of real-time fuel pricing breaches, as well as increasing penalties for non-compliance.

Recruitment has begun for additional Office of Consumer and Business Affairs  inspectors, meeting the Government’s $1.2 million plan to fund an additional 100 inspections each month.

A recent fuel monitoring blitz saw nine petrol stations fined a total of nearly $8,000 after more than 500 inspections to ensure petrol stations are complying with the law to provide real-time fuel data.

Quotes attributable to Peter Malinauskas

We have acted decisively to ensure retailers are complying with their real-time fuel pricing obligations, but there is more to do to ensure South Australia is prepared for every potential scenario.

As always when confronted with a crisis beyond our control, we are hoping for the best while doing all we can to prepare for the worst.

To be clear, this is not a signal that we expect fuel rationing will occur.

It is simply ensuring that should the Commonwealth Government take action, the state is in the best position to respond nimbly.

Quotes attributable to Tom Koutsantonis

In a time of crisis, the last thing we want to see is customers taking their frustrations out on retail staff and others working in the petroleum supply chain.

We’re previously acted to increase penalties for abusing, threatening or assaulting emergency services workers and public transport staff. If an emergency order is invoked, the same level of enhanced penalties will apply to fuel workers, to ensure they can continue to serve the community when they are needed most.