Canberra is in discussions with key buyers of its liquefied natural gas exports, namely Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, to ensure that these partners prioritize Australia when shipping refined fuel products — including petrol, diesel and jet fuel — as regional shortages emerge, Bloomberg reported on March 31.

Iranian strikes on Qatar's LNG infrastructure and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have removed a significant share of global LNG supply and sharply tightened availability across Asia. In that context, Australia's role as a major LNG exporter has increased its leverage over its export partners, enabling it to seek priority access to refined fuel shipments in return. At the same time, Australia is grappling with fuel strain at home, given its lack of major refining capacity, highlighting its continued dependence on imported refined fuel products.