Work From Home Perth:
Help Ease the Fuel Shortage

The Crisis in Brief

Australia is in the middle of a serious fuel supply crisis driven by the US-Israel war on Iran, which has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz — the shipping lane that carries around one-fifth of the world's oil. Six tanker shipments bound for Australia in April have been turned back or deferred.

For Perth specifically, the impact is stark: petrol has surged past $2.50 per litre and diesel has hit a record $3 per litre in parts of WA, while WA's mining sector, a cornerstone of Perth's economy, is running on just five days of fuel supply. Blue Cap Mining has already stood down two-thirds of its 180-person FIFO workforce.

On 30 March, national cabinet agreed to halve the fuel excise for three months from April 1, saving motorists 26 cents per litre at the bowser. The heavy-vehicle road user charge will drop to zero over the same period — a combined $2.5 billion cost to the budget. National cabinet also adopted a four-phase fuel security plan; Australia is at phase two (“keeping Australia moving”). While the excise cut provides some relief, prices remain well above historical norms and the underlying supply crisis continues.

WA is at "Level One" of its Hazard Management Plan for energy disruption, with Wheatbelt Development Commissioner Rob Cossart appointed as Fuel Security State Controller.

The federal government has also released emergency reserves, relaxed fuel quality standards, and directed the ACCC to monitor for price gouging. But supply-side fixes alone won't be enough. Read the full crisis breakdown →

Officials Are Calling for WFH

The IEA's full package of recommendations — work from home, reduce road speeds, avoid non-essential air travel, use public transport — mirrors the measures Australia adopted during past energy emergencies. The difference now is that WFH is already widely practised: 36% of Australians already work from home regularly — increasing that proportion even modestly would have a measurable effect on fuel demand.

Why Perth Workers in Particular

Perth is one of Australia's most car-dependent cities. Long commutes, limited public transport outside the inner suburbs, and a sprawling geography mean that Perth workers consume more fuel per commute than workers in Sydney or Melbourne.

At $2.50+ per litre and rising, the financial case for WFH in Perth is stronger than ever. But beyond personal savings, the collective impact on city-wide fuel demand is significant: every car that stays in the driveway frees up fuel for essential services — freight, farming, emergency response, and the mining operations that drive WA's economy.

Benefits at a Glance